For Whom the Bell Tolls
by GhastlyRevenant
Summary: The last toll of the bell damns all those that remain, regardless of their accomplishments or determination. Will can only get one so far, and when it fails, there is nothing left but death. So close, yet so far... However, such senseless and unfair deaths may not be mistakes after all. For one failure can be turned into a greater success.
1. Chapter 1

Ayumi, Satoshi, and Mizuki were played by my friend(Keeroy). Yoshiki, Yuka, Naomi, Souji, and Yosuke were played by me(Yuminii). We do not own the Corpse Party franchise, and are no way affiliated with it. We do not own the characters Ayumi, Satoshi, Naomi, Yuka, nor Yoshiki. We do, however, have ownership over the characters Mizuki, Souji, and Yosuke. Thank you for reading, and we hope you enjoy.

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All other things seemed so blurred, and any sound went unheard besides the internal beating of the heart. All else had to be deafened, to assure that the next toll of the bell would be heard.

The group, which had been reduced to five, rushed through the decrepit halls. They were on a timer, so being so close to getting out didn't matter anymore. It all could be swept out from under them if they dilly-dallied, despite all the effort they had put forth in escaping Heavenly Host. None of that mattered. The only thing that would get them out was being fast about this, before the school chose a new core or whatever and sealed off their chance to escape, forever.

Yoshiki was running near the back of the group, taking care to stick close to Ayumi in case she tripped or something. They were close, so he didn't want to slip up in his determination to protect her. He had failed once before, letting her come back here by herself... so he didn't want to let her down again. He wanted to prove he was capable of keeping his promises, and he also wanted the chance to prove to her that he really wasn't going to give up on her. No matter what, in any situation, he was dead set in staying close.

He felt they were pretty close to the outside by now. The second bell was probably getting closer to ringing out, but he felt confident they would make it. But then, another rumble went through the school, straining the old wood beneath them. There was a loud crash, and before he could really register what had happened, his back hit against the floor, followed by some stray planks that landed on him. He was still disoriented and the breath had been knocked out of him, so he laid there for a moment in silence. He coughed with the dust that was sprung up in combination with his breath returning to his lungs. His head hurt, and several places ached... but as far as he could tell, most of him was fine. What... had even happened, anyways?

Satoshi was gripping Yuka's hand tightly, trying to keep an eye on the entire group as they raced towards the exit. It felt unreal that the nightmare was finally going to end. He knew that he had to reign himself in, though. Because the second after that thought passed through his head, there was a violent shake. The earthquake forced him to stop, the sound of breaking wood echoed through the the halls. He had pulled Yuka close, shielding her from any debris falling. When it seemed safe, he looked to take a headcount to make sure everyone was okay. His blood ran cold when it became obvious Yoshiki and Ayumi had been swallowed up with the broken floor boards. _'No, no, no,'_ he thought in worry as he moved towards the edge. He couldn't see a damn thing below, which just made his fear run more potently. "Yoshiki! Shinozaki! Are you two okay?" he yelled down, anxious from the thought of losing more friends.

Yoshiki opened his eyes, squinting through the dust still floating about. Up ahead, he could see a dim light filtering through, and even though it didn't really light anything this far down, he could finally assess the situation. The floor had caved in. His eyes widened at Satoshi's voice, now alert that Ayumi had fallen with him. He held his sleeve to his mouth to quiet his coughing, as his other hand pushed the light planks off of him. He searched through the darkness, calling Ayumi's name quietly, so that if she was okay he didn't needlessly alarm Satoshi. With no response though, his heart grew quicker with worry. His hand finally caught onto cloth, but it wasn't normal, per say. It was... damp. His heart practically seized, but he tried to remain calm as he further investigated. What his hand found was one of his greatest fears. Out from the cloth, and the slow breathing body covered by it, there stuck out a jagged, wet wooden plank. "Aa-!" he went to call her name worriedly, but held his tongue.

Earlier in this ordeal... when the two of them had made it out by themselves, he had made a horrible choice at first. To ditch his cherished friends in favor of Ayumi. It made him really reflect on what kind of person he was. Sure, it sounded noble at first, but in reality, it was selfish and cruel, wasn't it? He had been willing to leave behind his friends because he was scared of losing Ayumi. But it wasn't like Ayumi wanted to be saved, in exchange for her friends' safety. She was truly strong... a lot stronger than him... The second bell finally rung into his ears, and he was trembling slightly with the decision weighing heavily upon him. Of course he wanted to save Ayumi! But... them coming down a whole other floor would set them back too much. Alerting them to the reality of the situation would damn them all, wouldn't it? His hand trailed up her back, to find her head and then brush lightly through her hair affectionately, though it held solemn undertones. His other hand lifted her arm across his shoulder, so he could be her support instead of the plank she was impaled on. He took a deep breath, and even though he wanted to scream for help, he had to consider Ayumi's wishes and his other friend's well-being. "You... would want it like this, right? Okay... for their sake," he said, even though he was aware he was talking to himself. He was just trying to make the idea concrete in his head enough for his voice to actually surface, and create a convincing lie. "... Yeah, we're fine! Just keep heading to the exit, we can meet you out!" he yelled up, filling his voice with confidence, however empty it was.

Satoshi perked up a little at Yoshiki's voice, relieved that the two were okay. But... the bell overhead rang loudly in warning that their time was running out. He would rather come down to the floor to help them up, but he was sure Yoshiki would manage to find a way to get back up. He was reluctant, and he really didn't want to leave before having the group all together, but he couldn't put himself in the position where he held Naomi and Yuka back too. Yoshiki told him that they would meet up, and he believed him. "Okay! See you soon! Stay safe!" he yelled back before giving a nod to Yuka and Naomi that they needed to start running again.

Once the footsteps of the three were out of range, Ayumi began to stir to awareness. What... happened? She had been running, and then everything went black. She didn't have much time to think about the past events when a sudden burning, all encompassing pain ran through her. Her eyes cracked open, the sight of the reason for her pain resulted in it hurting so much worse. "AAAAAAaaaaAAHgNNN," a scream tore out of her, the only response she could possibly have with the knowledge she had been impaled. It wasn't the type of pain one could adapt to, it was burning and biting, making it impossible to register anything but the agony tearing through her muscles and skin.

Yoshiki was relieved his voice had been convincing enough. He felt sort of bad about it, though... Satoshi trusted him because they were best friends, but he had abused that to blatantly lie to him... Though he couldn't dwell over this and that, as he had to get to business quickly. "Right, see ya!" he replied, and as soon as they were a few steps away, his readjusted eyes were focused on figuring out the best way to get Ayumi off the plank. It's true that pulling her off would increase bleeding, but he'd stop it as best as he could. After all, keeping her there would definitely lead to her death, whereas helping her off gave them somewhat of a chance, no matter how small. He was startled when she began screaming, and his panic quickly climbed. He hated hearing her in this pain, and he definitely hated knowing he'd be causing her more, but it was necessary. He had to be the strong one, as he was still unwilling to just let her die. He was quick to try and comfort her, holding her head close. "I know it hurts... but just hang on for a bit...This is going to be painful too... but I need you to be strong for _me_ this time around, okay? I know you can... you've been really strong this whole time," he told her, trying to keep his nerves in check and a soothing tone, though he wasn't so sure how well he was doing that. On the inside, his thoughts were in a flurry, about exactly how he would go about doing this. He wasn't trained whatsoever in the medical field... his best bet would just be pulling her carefully off, and trying to wrap it as quickly as possible. But... with what? His jacket may be the only thing that would remotely do... Though, it was thinner in comparison to his undershirt...

Ayumi finally realized Yoshiki was with her when she felt her head moved against someone and his voice hit her ears. She couldn't choke back noises of pain, as they were the only slight relief she could manage. She tried to focus on Yoshiki's voice and what he was saying... Strong... She had to be strong. Like Ms. Yui told her to be before she died. She was so tired of having to be strong through all of this, but they still had a chance, right? If she let Yoshiki get her off of this thing that tore her apart, they could hurriedly race to the exit. Tears were slipping out, her body had no idea how to deal with the damage dealt to it. Instead, it was panicking, pain shooting to her brain with unforgivable vividness. It was even worse than reliving Yuki's death, because it was constant and actually happening to her. Was this how she was going to die...? No, no, the thought just made a painful sob rise, which caused her body more distress. They had made it this far, she couldn't lay down and die now. "O-o-kay," she gasped painfully, giving a tiny nod. She couldn't hold Yoshiki back either... she would have to let him do this, despite how terrified she was of being in more pain.

Yoshiki was actually a little shocked she was able to speak past her screams. She never ceased to surprise him... So, he had to match her strength with this. He couldn't delay either, because they were on a strict time limit and making her wait longer was too cruel. He was scared though... He was scared of messing up, causing her more pain and maybe consequently leading to her death. If she died because of this, even if they got out, he wasn't sure he could recover. Her blood was already on his hands, and he felt solely responsible for her well-being. He took a deep breath, using the arm around his shoulder to lift her up, his other hand moving away from her head to help lift her stomach along with her upper half. He hated the feeling of gushing blood. The fact that it was Ayumi's hurt his head... but he pressed on, and eventually she was completely off the plank. It was luckily short, and the fall hadn't been high enough for the whole length to stab through her, but there was still the urgent problem of her open wounds. He sat her back with his arm under hers, to give her adequate, stable support while his other hand hurriedly unbuttoned his under shirt. He maneuvered it off, then worked it around her as best as he could. All throughout these tasks, he tried to ignore her screaming, because it only unsettled him further. He had to keep the calmest mindset he could manage if they had any hope of making it out. He tied the two ends of the shirt, pulling it tightly to place pressure on her wounds, though he doubted the shirt would work for long. Hopefully they wouldn't need it to. They'd get out of here, and take her to the hospital. "Okay... You alright to go for it?" he asked her as his other hand grabbed hers that was across his shoulders, hoping the answer to be yes. If she couldn't go forward at all... he wasn't sure what to do. He'd guess he could carry her or something... but he definitely knew he wasn't giving up on her. He would never leave her for dead.

Ayumi couldn't suppress trembles when he began to move her off the plank. The pain was even worse than it had been initially, and screams kept erupting from her lungs. She almost begged Yoshiki to stop, but she knew it would slow them both down. He was being as gentle as one could be given the situation, but there was no way to stop the torment. Even off the plank, everything felt worse. She was weakening quickly from blood-loss, and the pain made it impossible to hold herself up. She rested her weight completely on him as he hastily tended to her wound. The pressure of his shirt against the wound initially hurt more than anything else, but the pressure provided some relief. She was panting and gasping erratically, unable to adapt to the wound. She blinked slowly at his question, her muddled brain lagging in the ability to process information. She registered his hand over hers quickly though, and grasped it tightly. Could she walk? She wasn't really sure. Breathing hurt her body from the small movements it caused, so walking would probably feel like torture. She couldn't run, either, which is the pace they needed to have... The bell! Was it still ringing? The timer reentering her mind made her panic worse. They were so close! "Uh...h-huh," she choked out as she began to shift. The aching brought more tears to her eyes, but it would be worth it. They'd get out and back home.

Yoshiki could hardly imagine the pain she was in. Of course it wasn't 'okay', as walking would inevitably hurt her more. But at this point, it wasn't an issue of 'can'. They had to, or else they'd die here, despite their many efforts to get out. He nodded to her, slowly lifting her to stand, trying to support her as much as he could. Once she was stable enough, he was walking forward, making sure to avoid holes in the floor or bumps that may make Ayumi's wound worse. They were... on a floor below the exit, weren't they...? That meant they had to find stairs, and he was uncertain of Ayumi's ability to complete such a task. But, he'd press on, keeping his hopes up. He couldn't consider the possibility of failure. It was too scary, and clawed at his heart too much. So he had to believe they could make it before the last bell rung.

Getting to her feet was more difficult than Ayumi cared for, because if that was such a task, how long could she force herself to walk? She had to at least try, their freedom so tantalizingly close. Once up and moving, her wound proved to be agonizingly affected by the movement. Each step felt like a mountain's climb. She tried to think of Satoshi, and Naomi... little Yuka... the friends they lost that wouldn't want her to join them in their fates in this place. She tried to stay optimistic... strong. She wasn't sure how long she had walked, her mind becoming blurred and foggy with the testing of her injury. It was after another bell chimed that the hopelessness hit her. They still weren't at the main floor, and she was moving so slowly. Tears were uncontrollable when her mind came to the dark conclusion that it had been trying to ignore. She stopped forcing herself to take steps, having a difficult time finding her voice. "G...go," she panted, hoping he would understand her short command. She couldn't make it, and she didn't want to hold Yoshiki back. Even if he carried her, he'd have to be slow and careful because of her wound. He needed to run as fast as he could possibly muster at this point.

Yoshiki was completely focused on their task, but it was obvious to him that Ayumi's movements only got slower. His heart was beating painfully against his chest at the third bell, yet they hadn't made hardly enough headway to truly have a chance at making it. It was during one particular step that he noticed a sharp pain in his side, but Ayumi's complete stop took his attention away easily. He looked at her with wide eyes, his heart sinking to the pit of his stomach. She was giving up... and he had to be honest, their chances weren't looking good. Nonexistent, even... But still, he didn't want to go back without her, with her blood on his hands and clothes. Rather, he couldn't. He looked down quietly, a shadow casting over his eyes. "No," he answered firmly, his hand tightening around hers. _'I can't leave you here... I can't! This isn't how things were supposed to end up at all... But even if I'm doomed here with you, I'd rather keep you from dying alone than going on without you. Though I confessed... I don't think the magnitude of these feelings got across. I... really can't... live without you as I am now.'_

Ayumi was becoming desperate when Yoshiki quickly denied her. She knew he didn't have a chance if he stuck with her. There was no conceivable way of getting her out of there... even when they did, they'd have to call an ambulance and just hope she didn't bleed out. At the very least, Yoshiki could get out. She wanted him to live, because despite the huge fight that had blown up after they got back at Kisaragi, she still considered him one of her closest friends. She wasn't even sure how that happened, since she had never expected that boy she had scolded one day to come back into her life. Her hand tightened around his as much as it could, but her body was too weak for it to really do much. "P-please... We don't... b-both have to die," she forced herself to speak. He could still have a life outside this place. Besides... he came because of their fight and her idea... She could accept responsibility for her own demise, but not his.

Yoshiki's eyes narrowed, not persuaded in the slightest. Though, was there really any point pushing her forward? It would only cause her more pain, and they wouldn't make it regardless... So he guessed it didn't matter anymore. He hadn't given up at the start, but there was no feasible way that they could get out now... There was no other choice than to stop trying. They had lost before they even began... and that realization crippled him considerably. Still, he wouldn't desert her. He shook his head adamantly, lifting his head to look at her. "You make it sound... like leaving you here wouldn't affect me at all," he told her, his voice straining on account of all this rottenness hitting him at once. It was true... They really were going to die... But he'd be near her for as long as he could. "Everyone seems to think I can handle anything... That I can just move on... but really, I'm the weakest one. I can't make it without you... especially knowing I left you here to die by yourself... I can't do it," he told her, his eyes stinging slightly, but he kept any tears from surfacing. He only appeared strong here... because Ayumi needed him to be. But he was really just suppressing everything... And in his life where the fear of a loneliness loomed so heavily upon him, he couldn't make it without her. Past Heavenly Host... he wouldn't make it very far. He wanted to be with her here, knowing the other option would be no better, actually worse. In his opinion... emotional pain hurt so much worse than anything this school could do to him. Separating completely from Ayumi... would tear his mind into shreds.

Ayumi felt so tired and weak, her body shivering uncontrollably when she began to notice how cold this entire school really was. Or maybe it was the fact most her blood was on its way out of her body. She watched Yoshiki through cloudy vision. He was as stubborn as ever, but it would be to his own demise. He was healthy... he could run and get out of this hell hole for good. His soul wouldn't have to be trapped. But what he was saying... he couldn't make it without her? She knew... that fight they had also served as a confession from him, that she hadn't given herself very much time to think about. "I'm telling you... to go. I-I don't think- it'd be... easy," she said, voice cut off by sharp pains. She wanted to lay down... she was resting most her weight on him, but it wasn't enough. Her fatigue would only get worse. "N-nothing would be ga-ined b-y you... staying here," she said quietly, more tears slipping out. She was going to die either way. It didn't matter how hard the two had worked to get through this place. Her own timer was running out with her blood. "You'd... get past t-this," she tried to assure him, although she didn't know if that would ever be true. Heavenly Host wasn't something that people could work past, but still... he could still find happiness. He shouldn't throw his life away for a high school crush.

Yoshiki noticed she was getting heavier. She was tired, of course... At this point, did they really have to wait for the bell to tell them they didn't make it? "I wouldn't... I'm not strong like that...," he told her solemnly, then his eyes moved away to search for a place where she could settle down. There was no point in keeping her standing. It was only straining her wound further. He walked over to a nearby wall where the floor looked stable enough, having to half drag her because of her exhaustion. He unwound their arms from one another's shoulders, and just let her body lean completely on his as he slid down to sit. "I'm sorry... but I'm staying," he told her again firmly, knowing full well that it may be a selfish decision, but... maybe that's what he truly was. Selfish... Pushing the disheartening thought away, he took his jacket that he had slung across his arm and wrapped it around Ayumi's shoulders. Once that was in place, his arms moved to hug her, but since she was most likely angry with him, it was more to protect her than anything affectionate, though he was willing to provide that comfort if she needed it. Though in reality he had failed to protect her, to make sure she lived past Heavenly Host... he still wanted to make himself feel useful. He would... protect her from further harm, he decided, so her passing could be easier as opposed to some ghosts coming along to rip into her.

Ayumi frowned at his response, frustrated that he wasn't thinking ahead. What was he going to do after she died...? Just sit here? Or would he kill himself like Sakutaro had done? None of it seemed appealing, and she didn't want him to go through any of it. She realized he was moving them, settling down against the wall with her. He was so difficult to understand, and she wasn't sure she could appreciate his actions when he was denying her last request. Her weakening body couldn't help but to slump against his warmth. For a moment she was lost in exhaustion, but when she snapped back to awareness, his jacket was blanketing her and his arms were wrapped around her. No, no, no! This couldn't happen. "I d-don't want you dy-ing bec-cause of me," she said with as much urgency as she could. The bell tolled again, her eyes widening slightly. How many times has it been? It was a sickening reminder that she didn't have very much time to convince him. _"Please, Kishinuma!"_ she yelped out, the pain shooting through her made her flinch. She didn't even know if he had enough time to get there on time now, but she wanted him to try.

Yoshiki flinched at her yelp, also registering that she had hurt herself putting forth such energy. His heart twisted painfully, but he didn't make a move to leave her. Instead, his somewhat trembling arms tightened around her. "I'm not... don't take responsibility for my choices. I'm staying here because I chose to... It's my own fault, so don't you dare shoulder something else that isn't your weight to bear, okay?" he asked her sternly, but it was more rhetorical than anything. He was the weak, selfish one. He was the one choosing to die here, with her. He wouldn't let her blame herself for his inability to cope with leaving her. "I'm the one being weak, and selfish... I'm the spineless, pathetic one, that can't stand without your support... So don't ever blame yourself over my decisions," he told her again with a light shake of his head, on of his hands going to hold the back of her head. He slackened against the wall, trying hard to ignore her blood soaking into his clothes. "It's just-... You don't understand... how important you are," he added as a last detail with his voice cracking slightly, his eyes squinting to push back that stinging sensation again.

Ayumi was recovering from the sharp pain her shout caused, but she forced herself to put her focus in Yoshiki's words. Yes, it was his decision... but she didn't like it. At this point, though, he had spent so much time dealing with her, the bell had to be approaching its last chimes. It wasn't something she could easily accept, and she didn't think she'd be able to come to terms with it before she passed. She blinked up at him slowly, finding it hard to believe he was weak... He had been unyielding through most of their trials. Yes... he had initially refused to come back, but he ultimately came back. Although... was that because of her influence too? She had never thought she had made much of an impact on him. Sure, there had been that lecture she had given him, but she couldn't wrap her head around why she was so intrinsically important to him. She moved her head to fit more comfortably on his chest when he moved a hand to hold the back of her head. "I don't... I never... d-did anything for you... tha-at would justify... all this," she panted quietly. He was saying his life would crumple if she wasn't there... supporting him. But how much support could she have really been? Asking if he had read the assignments and done the homework... She didn't deserve his devotion.

Yoshiki stared ahead in the darkness, his other hand tightening it's grip on the jacket. He still wanted to protect her... as fruitless as it would be. He had failed again... but now he could at least let this be the extent of her pain. He glanced down at her, leaning his head slightly against hers after she shifted. She wanted him to justify this? He guessed there was a sort of explanation... but as to how it got this serious, he was unsure. It may have been because he had no one else before, so he clung to her like a lifeline. Regardless of that point, though, he could easily say what had been the start of it. Since he had refused her dying request, he felt in necessary to try and bring the reasoning past 'just a crush'. "No, you did... it just seems insignificant to people besides me, I guess... Our first year, when I almost dropped out... everyone always wrote me off and encouraged me to quit. But you...," he paused at this point, holding her a little tighter. It was surreal that they would really die here... that Ayumi would die, undoubtedly before him. It was a little hard for him to reminisce over why he cherished her so much, in light of everything he currently knew would happen. "You didn't judge me based on rumors, or my appearance... and I don't know whether I deserved it or not, but you believed in me... That I could do all the things everyone else said I couldn't. I wanted to prove that you weren't wrong... and the feelings past that... they just sort of followed suit without me really noticing. Being around you more often after feeling more like a friend for the first time... I kept finding things that I liked about you. So, now...," he trailed off at that point, since she didn't feel the same. He wasn't trying to drive his feelings down her throat, he just wanted to attempt to convey why she was so important. More important than anyone else...

Ayumi's eyes were zoned out, but she intently listened to every word Yoshiki said as she tried to wrap her head around his reasoning. She came to the slow realization that he was in love with her. Yes, he had said that before, in the midst of their fight, but she had doubted the sincerity. Now, put in this situation, she couldn't doubt he really meant it. How many people would ever be willing to do this? Would she be willing to put her life down like this for Satoshi? She wasn't really sure of that, but she knew Yoshiki was here with her now. He wouldn't leave no matter how many times the bell tolled, which was a scary thought. She knew it was his decision, but she couldn't believe he was doing it. "Y-you're a good... person," she panted lightly. She felt so weak and weary. "B-but... I don't t-think I understand," she confessed lightly. Perhaps it could only be felt, not explained... She could see how she would garner some affection from him, but not this love.

Yoshiki lifted his head away for a moment, getting a small look at her face. She looked... so close to death... He didn't like it. His eyes went back to the darkness looming all around them, as he didn't want to see her life drain away. She was in a lot of pain, though... He couldn't keep her around. He was already being selfish about staying, so he owed it to her to give her a peaceful passing. Then again... what help would it provide? She'd feel her death forever, regardless. These facts twisted his heart painfully, and he just wanted to breakdown, but he wouldn't allow his strength to falter. Not yet, with Ayumi still around. He looked back down at her curiously, then gave a solemn smile. "I don't think... it's necessarily possible to," he admitted with a light sigh.

Ayumi couldn't think of a response, so her mind flickered back to the pain resonating from her wound. Her breathing was heavy and slowing, which made a claw grab at her heart. She wasn't ready to die yet, but she knew there was no way out of this. There would be no relief or happy ending for her, but at least three of them made it out. She wished Yoshiki could be included in that group, but it became obvious he wouldn't yield in his decision. His stubbornness was frustrating, but she was glad she wasn't facing her death alone. Her eyes stayed opened and unfocused, because she was afraid when she finally gave into her exhaustion and shut them, that would be it. Shouldn't some great last words be coming to her mind right now? All she could do was cry and think that she wasn't ready for this. The agony was too much, and she couldn't do this for an eternity.

Yoshiki's look grew unconsciously blank with the developing silence. He had been forcing down his fear the best he could this whole time, but now he'd have to hold down his despair while Ayumi slowly died. She was so close, but it killed him to know he couldn't help her at all. He held her closer with fear of what would happen, his head leaning back onto hers. He couldn't tell for sure, because of the jacket and his own body heat, but it felt like she was getting colder. His heart was extremely stressed with all this, and how much he couldn't control. His grip tightened on the cloth of the jacket, as if that would give him some decision of what was slowly happening to Ayumi. He blinked back tears, straining to keep himself leveled. "Sh-Shinozaki... is there anything... I can do?" he asked her hesitantly, wanting to be not so helpless in everything. He wanted to have some sort of an effect... but without knowing what she ultimately wanted, he was stuck waiting in silence for her body to just give out. He was also scared with the silence that she'd die without him even noticing at first. Stolen right from under him...

At some point, Ayumi realized the bell wasn't ringing anymore. The thought seized her heart painfully. They had worked so hard and done so much, but they couldn't escape this. The door was sealed, as was their fate. In the midst of her jumbled, scared thoughts, she heard Yoshiki. She took a long moment to process the question. He wanted to do something for her, but her mind was blanking. The hot throbbing reduced her mind to a muddled mess, but she was able to pull some ideas out of it. "Could you... tell a story... sing... j-just... distract me," she requested quietly. A distraction of any kind would be welcomed, since it would comfort her mind at the very least. Otherwise, all she would be thinking about was her death, and it was too scary to confront what she had no power over.

Yoshiki waited for what felt like an eternity before she finally spoke. Her voice was getting weaker and weaker, and more strained by her pain. He took a quiet, deep breath to soften his tone after the hard blow to his chest this all caused. She wanted to be distracted... by something or other, so he couldn't sound panicked, distressed, nothing. Just soothing, if he could manage it. He couldn't come up with a story off the top of his head... Honestly, he didn't know many in the first place, and didn't care too much about them, so they never stuck with him. Singing however... Normally, he'd be embarrassed to sing anything, especially in front of Ayumi, but this was a special case. If it helped her... of course he'd do it. He didn't really delve into singing as a career or hobby, so he didn't know a lot of songs by heart or if he was any good at it, but there was this one... It had a nice guitar piece in it, so he'd often practice it against the actual song. It wasn't hard to pick up the simple lyrics along with the guitar after listening to it so much. While it sounded a bit solemn... there was an obvious soothing factor to it. It was an American song... but even so, he felt it would be okay to sing it. It was also the only song he knew all the lyrics to... and he wanted this to be fluid, so he could succeed in fulfilling her request. Skipping over words with mumbles or just cutting the song short wouldn't do. "Alright then...," he responded quietly after composing his tone to be level. He waited a moment, letting the opening melody play in his head before attempting to sing it. Without a good flow in his head, he was bound to mess up, so he had to keep the guitar parts in mind, even though he wasn't practicing. Once the vocals part started in his head, he started alongside it. Safe and Sound... It was horribly misleading to their plight, but it was a very calming song that he hoped drowned out the chaos surrounding them, and to allow them to forget what their 'end' would ultimately be.

Ayumi was a little surprised he chose to sing a song, but she guessed it made more sense. He wasn't a storyteller, but she remembered catching pieces of his and Satoshi's musically fueled conversations. After that detail passed in her mind, she noticed Yoshiki had a very nice voice. She never noticed it among his blunt and tactless words, but now that she listened to it, feeling his chest rumble with the lyrics, she found herself liking it quite a lot. She didn't know the song, but it was calming. During one of the lyrics, _'just close your eyes'_, she followed the soothing command. Her eyelids becoming too heavy to keep open, and looking at the bleak hallways didn't help her. At some point, the lyrics stopped becoming audible, but his voice's low rumble comforted her. The pain wasn't dulled, but she found her mind latching to the song for what relief it could give her. The slow rising and falling of her chest continued to dwindle, and the blood still rushed out of her body. She wanted to thank Yoshiki, or say goodbye, but her small voice couldn't even be grasped. She hated to leave him like this, but it wasn't something she could stop. Eventually, her thoughts faded to nothing but awareness of her slowing, pained body. Her chest stopped rising, and her body slumped with death.

After he was about halfway through the song, or a little more, Yoshiki felt the added weight of a lifeless body. Despite that, he was determined to go through the song to completion. Though, with it painfully apparent that she was gone, perhaps forever separated, his tone could no longer hold onto the calming, even pace. His voice was slowly breaking down, and he held her closer as tears began to escape. '_Ayumi's gone... Ayumi's dead... Will I ever see her again? Is she suffering, even now? Somewhere in the school... she's alone... Ayumi... You can't be gone forever... You can't!'_ His thoughts derailed his voice from the song, but he just managed to finish it, even though it was by far off key. He cradled her closely, now not having to care about shifting her too much and hurting her. His chest hurt immediately when his voice lost all control, erupting into sobs as he buried his face against her shoulder. With no one to be strong for, he felt himself crumbling to pieces. "NO! No dammit! It wasn't... wasn't supposed to end up like this... We were so close! If it had been me... If only... I could have made Satoshi take her back... She'd be okay... Then why?! Why do things like this happen?... Shinozaki... didn't deserve anything like this... She had tried so hard... and been so strong through all this... WHY IS THIS SO UNFAIR?!" he screamed out in a cracking voice, his pained words echoing through the empty school hallways. He slumped against the wall, biting his lip so he didn't wear his voice out, though tears were still streaming heavily down his face. He held her head close, squeezing his eyes shut, trying to ignore the pressure on his head and chest.

Time passed by in a blur, but for a place like Heavenly Host, time didn't matter all too much, did it? It didn't really exist. The only reason such a factor would matter to anything in a place were time was muddled, the sky was black and it was always raining, was the time limit of the human body. Plenty of people were... lucky? No... more unlucky to survive this place long enough to die from starvation or dehydration. They had read about people who went crazy and ate other people, but... he wouldn't dare defile Ayumi's body. His mind was instead occupied with keeping her close, and making sure nothing else put a single mark on her. Not that it would accomplish anything... but he didn't want to see anything else done to her. So he stayed quietly, despite the growing fogginess in his head.

His stomach began to hurt eventually, but more noticeable was a pounding headache that began to encompass his entire head, instead of just one specific place. It made it extremely hard to focus, but more so... was the threatening sensation of his mind being swiped into darkness. His tongue felt increasingly dry, and his grip on Ayumi was fading. He was... dying, huh?... For some reason, the fact didn't matter much to him. He tried to restore his tight grip on Ayumi, but it didn't make much of a difference, besides making his muscles tremble. His eyes were dull, staring forward, and he sort of... almost welcomed death. Though, he couldn't really think much past the pounding pain in his head, and his chest ached with a fast heart and constantly ragged breaths.

He zoned in and out constantly, and he hadn't really noticed until he eventually woke up against the floor. To his relief he was still clutching Ayumi, but only loosely now. His strength was horribly reduced, and his vision made the school look even darker and blurrier. Though, even he could start to make out the figures of some bright apparitions inching closer to him curiously. His lagging brain eventually recognized these spirits. Tokiko and Ryou... the kids they had once saved, but now they had seemed to revert to their old selves. So... they hadn't been able to do anything for those kids in the long run? He couldn't feel much sympathy for them as they came closer, since he knew their intentions weren't pure. His shaky arms brought Ayumi closer, completely shielding her face against his shirt. He was also wearing the jacket again, since his primal instinct to survive hadn't been completely shut down. When he had started to feel cold, with only his short-sleeve shirt covering him, he took the jacket back in an almost zombie-like movement, but that had been... quite a while ago.

Tokiko knelt beside him, tilting her head curiously. She may not be able to discern whether he was alive or not... and he couldn't blame her. He probably looked as horrible as he felt. He felt pretty dead... so he probably looked that way too. A gleam caught his eye, which was naturally attracted to the light with curiosity. Despite his vision being poor, it was easy to make out the familiar, but unwanted, figure of the scissors. She brought it close to him, and even though inside he was panicked, he gave no reaction. Further curious, she placed one tip of the scissors to his right cheek, digging it shallowly into the skin. Still, not much. She placed the other edge as far as the scissors would stretch out vertically, pressing it into the skin again.

She and Ryou seemed to wait a small moment, expecting some twinge of fear or something, but they still got nothing from the half-dead boy. She clutched the scissors, aiming to really test if this guy was dead or not. It was a sick curiosity, and if she had had a top half of her head, she would be smiling in anticipation. She paused, noticing his eye was quivering, but it still didn't stop her action. It was quick, the scissors coming down together quickly. The blades met in his eye, completely slicing his pupil. The pain was excruciating, but his weakened body could only twitch lightly, and his voice came out in shallow, pained screams. A hand instinctively tried to lift to his eye, but he could barely move it before it plopped on the ground. He felt helpless, and now, he noticed, his eye was rendered completely useless. It quickly squeezed shut after the blades were pulled out, but it did nothing to stop the burning agony.

With true confirmation that he was alive, though just barely, the ghosts got closer. Tokiko grabbed his left arm to pull his weakened grip off of Ayumi. Ryou approached him, eyes wide and soulless staring at Yoshiki's remaining working eye, even though it was shut. "Give it back... Big sister's...," he muttered, but Yoshiki was unable to listen, with the pain grasping all of his brain's attention. He was still making choking noises of torment, and burning tears made their way out of his eyes in response to the unbearable pain assaulting his eye. He didn't get much time to recover, however, as Ryou's hand was placed firmly over his other eye. He pushed his eye open, then continued that pressure to squeeze out the eye. The sensation was alarming to Yoshiki, but his body could make no movements to deter Ryou. He could only wait in horror as the pain in his other eye continued to increase, until it was worse than the other, which he hadn't thought possible before. There was a horrid gushing noise, and the feeling of fingers being where they should never be able to touch was horrid. Then, it was pulled straight out. With horrible agony, his last remaining source of sight had literally been stolen from him. His choked screams rang slightly louder this time, though it caused his throat to crack painfully and sometimes his voice just gave out.

His body was sent into complete shock, unable to deal with that much pain and sensory loss. He began to seize, his screams becoming more like ragged coughs. It was then that he felt his arm being pulled on, but with the ghost's inhuman strength, it was apparent to him that it wasn't just straining his muscles. It felt like they were being torn apart. Though at this point, he was completely in the dark, and had no idea who was doing this or why, but there was soon a ripping sensation near his inner elbow. It was slow, agonizingly so, but it was soon revealed the ghosts were done taking it one thing at a time. He felt his throat grabbed, choking him to where he had no choice but try and desperately grab for breath. He would've died quickly that way, since he needed more air than normal anyway, so cutting it off would've been a faster death than average. But then the ghosts wouldn't be as satisfied. Another hand reached into his mouth and grabbed his tongue, which was admittedly scarier than the cold metal of the scissors being placed against it. At least that way, it would be clean. But it was easy to guess they aimed to tear it out of him forcefully, just like how they were robbing him of all his other bodily functions. The pull was fast, and so was his death. His body couldn't handle anymore, so it had easily given out with the gushing blood from his mouth. His head tilted lifelessly to the side, blood pouring from his mouth and eyes to pool onto the cracked wooden floor.


	2. Chapter 2

Yoshiki... was unsure of how long he had drug himself down these halls. His mind was going mad with the pain of scissors slicing his eye, his arm being torn, and his other eye and tongue being pulled from him. Most of all, he couldn't find Ayumi's body anymore... She was truly gone from him, and even though she had been dead against him all that time, it was more comforting than being completely alone. He stumbled through the halls, sticking close to the walls to use as a guideline. It was so dark, and he was... scared... The blood on him, some of it Ayumi's but most of it his own, were only stains now, though in his loneliness and despair, tears still leaked from his slashed eye. _'Ayumi... Ayumi... Where...'_, his broken thoughts continually echoed in his head as he wondered aimlessly on. Without his sight, the darkness being so much more prominent now, he had no idea where he was. And even though, on occasion, he'd hear the footsteps of someone he assumed to be another student trapped here, he just kept walking and completely ignored their existence. Finding Ayumi... was impossible, wasn't it? He panted and coughed with the pressure of emotional pain building in his chest, pure despair settling into his mind. He'd never see her again... or hear her... His eye trembled and his brows furrowed as he kept shuffling along, spilling blood from his mouth with each cough.

The flash of death had only lasted for a moment until a new sense of awareness overtook her. The feeling where the jagged wood had wounded her was as painful as it was when she died. It took a while to move past the pain that remained unchanged no matter how Ayumi walked. She came back to 'life' to a spot that looked familiar, but it lacked Yoshiki. It made her heart heavy when she realized she might have fallen into a closed space, and she didn't have any idea how to jump around them. She eventually abandoned the spot, choosing to wander. A lot of people came through, which made her stomach burn with resentment towards her previous idol. That stupid decision to post the charm landed them here. Made her bring it to her friends, made them go through this hell, and resulted in her own death along with too many friends. She worried greatly about Yoshiki, wondering how he was going to die. By time or the many vengeful spirits. Although, it was odd, she found hatred not at the core of her being. She had no clue why her mind would remain intact when most ghosts seemed to have lost it... She figured she'd appreciate the clarity, because it kept her from becoming a murderer.

Time became a non-element when she wandered the school. Ayumi figured she'd be able to at least guess if hours, days, or weeks went by, but she couldn't begin to figure out the cycles when there was no sun to set. Among her aimless routine, she began to wonder how long she would be able to keep at this. At the very least, she had become a somewhat helpful ghost, it seemed. When she encountered students, she was able to talk to them more normally than any ghosts had with her. It was when she was cycling through the main building on the second floor when she saw a familiar figure that made her body stop. Her eyes widened, her heart swelling in a way she didn't think would be possible in death. She tried to pull herself back, realizing the Kisaragi uniform was a popular choice among boy uniforms, and that she might just be becoming desperate for a friend. "Yosh...iki?" she gathered her voice, it came out softly and unsure, but loud enough she was almost certain he'd hear... if he was Yoshiki.

Yoshiki was going through the same motions, dragging himself further with faint hopes of finding what he most desperately wanted. His hand ran along the wall, but then something came out of the darkness besides footsteps, the mumbling of the crazier ghosts, or the scared noises of the supposed trapped students. He paused, his eye widening slightly, and though it was ultimately sightless, it still attempted to survey the room. It didn't help of course, but it was more of a habit that he wouldn't really grow out of, even if it hurt. He wasn't sure if he was just hearing things or not, so he stayed silent to maybe catch the sound again. He didn't want to be crazy... He wanted that to be the voice he had yearned to hear, not just an illusion his mind was making up in delirium. But he couldn't be sure, nor could he really pinpoint where the voice was coming from, so he wanted confirmation. He waited hopefully in the darkness, easing back a step so he wouldn't be in mid-walk.

Ayumi's happiness was shot down when she got to a point and position where she could make out his features better. Her stomach sank at his missing eye and slashed eye. He was covered in blood, and she knew by its location that it couldn't have been hers. The ghosts had got to him. Her throat tightened when she realized he had to hate her. For becoming his friend, for pulling out that Sachiko charm, and finally, for causing his painful death. The thought made her scared to approach, but she came to the nerve-wracking conclusion he was blind and couldn't make her out. Should she just leave him be...? She couldn't. She hadn't see any of the others that had passed, and she missed people..."Y...Yoshiki... I know you probably hate me, and I can leave right now if you want," she said with a louder voice. She couldn't let this chance slip her by, but she also acknowledged she was probably the last person he'd want to encounter.

Yoshiki thought he could make out the faintest of steps, but that wasn't enough to persuade him that he hadn't just been hearing things. It could be anything... He was about to give up, the despair crawling back over the hope, feeling stronger than ever. But, then her voice broke the blackness again. His eye tried to focus on where the sound was maybe coming from, but he wasn't very used to depending on his hearing for this kind of thing, so he was still extremely rusty at it. He hurried against the wall, trying to find her before she stopped talking. He wasn't even really focused on the words, as only joy washed over him that he had maybe found her again. His hand moved from the wall, groping out to meet fabric. His eye widened with happiness, and a smile began to form on his face. He wasted no time coming closer, wrapping his arms around the body he assumed to be Ayumi. _'I found you! I can't believe it... I found you...'_, he thought in his head, the first time in what felt like centuries that a sort of warmth came over him. His face buried against her shoulder, and his grip showed no signs of loosening.

Ayumi watched as he groped his way towards her, and she wasn't sure if it was with malicious intent or not. She didn't get a vibe of hatred, but he was in a hurry to get over to her. She stayed frozen in place until his hand grabbed at her shirt. She stared in shock when a smile tugged at his lips, and she couldn't figure out why. He couldn't be happy about this, could he? She died and left him to be torn apart... His injuries were all her fault. Also, she noticed, he wasn't speaking... did he lose his tongue? It was many of the ghost's favorite part of a body to go for, so she guessed he just fell victim to it like so many others. It was hard to believe, though... Would she never hear Yoshiki talk again? She had just began to enjoy his voice, too... Her thoughts derailed when he wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. She sharply inhaled, even if breathing wasn't necessary anymore. Smiling and hugging her... it was all tpo kind. "You can't be happy to see me! I mean... how can you smile? You look awful... and it's my fault," she said bitterly. Even if she was in disbelief of the contact, she couldn't help but lean into it. There was a distinct comfort in him.

Yoshiki almost felt like the pain was washed away when she accepted the hug. Of course, it was still there and always demanded to be paid attention to, but it didn't fog his mind as much now that he was finally around Ayumi again. Though, past his happiness, he actually heard Ayumi's words this time around. _'Still blaming yourself... I told you I chose to stay. Besides, how could I not be happy to see you? It feels like it's been forever'_, he spoke in his head, but couldn't bring the words from his throat. Instead, he settled on a firm shake of his head, his grip around her tightening. He didn't want to lose her ever again, but he was afraid that if he let go she'd just disappear.

Ayumi moved her arms to wrap back around him, which was weird in itself. In life, she would have never hugged Yoshiki like this. Hell, she probably would've yelled at him for being so weirdly clingy, but she enjoyed it now. She wasn't sure if that was a result of the two becoming closer during Heavenly Host, or the circumstances around her death. She leaned her head back a little to look at him when he shook his head, holding her even tighter. He definitely couldn't speak, but he was making it clear he was happy about her being here with him. She moved one of her hands to cup his cheek lightly, staring at the one eye that remained. "You've been hurt so badly... I can't understand why you'd be happy to see me," she said, horribly confused. He had died so painfully, and it could all be traced back to her. Most people would be consumed by that rage.

Yoshiki felt even more at peace when she finally hugged him back, though he had to lift his head slightly when he thought he felt her make a similar movement. He flinched when she had first touched him, but he quickly got used to the contact. Without seeing, things like that where he couldn't predict them made him a little jumpy. He hated feeling so vulnerable... He pushed aside the thoughts, his eye staring where he assumed her eyes to be, or at least her face. He wished he could see her, but... that was obviously impossible, perhaps for the rest of his afterlife. It made his chest feel tight, because her features were already becoming a bit blurry, and he never wanted to forget what she looked like. At the very least... he'd get to hear her voice now, and never forget the nice, soft tone it held. His look softened. Well, as much as it could with one eye missing and the other being completely dull. For her to feel better, he may have to get better at communicating using actions, which would probably be no walk in the park, especially considering he wasn't even that good at verbal conversations when he had been alive. _'It doesn't hurt as much when you're around... when I'm not alone, and can feel the affection I used to have before dying...'_ His hand lifted to grab her's while his other moved to cover the empty, bloody socket. Not to really hide it, even though he hadn't want Ayumi to intentionally see the gruesome sight it must be, but to bring attention to it. Or, more specifically, the pain she spoke of. He shook his head again, trying to express his feelings, even though he doubted he was succeeding.

Ayumi's brow furrowed when he began to move, grabbing her hand and then covering his eye. The shake made her wonder what he was trying to convey. It didn't hurt...? No, that couldn't be it, because of course it hurt. Her wound made her body burn every second, so she could only wonder what it would feel like to have your face mauled before death. She used to think she had very little understanding of Yoshiki, even when he spoke. Now, she had no idea how they could continuously communicate... Well, she'd pay attention to him and try to learn. They'd be with each other for quite a while, after all. "Ha... I still don't understand you," she sighed, gripping his hand tighter in her hand."But we'll work on that. I'm just glad we were able to meet up," she admitted with a relieved smile. With the closed spaces and large hallways, it would have been possible to never meet up.

Yoshiki's smile faltered into something more curious when she finally responded, with the familiar phrase of not understanding. _'Of course she doesn't. If she couldn't before, then she's probably even more hopelessly lost this time. But at least now I can stay by her side'_, he thought, a satisfied smile coming back to his face. At her next comment, he was a little surprised she was as happy as he was. Or, close to it, which made him feel even warmer. She wanted him around, and not only did that fill his need for company, but also it felt like he was needed again. She wouldn't need protection, but at least she still seemed to need _him_. He gave a hum of agreement, his hand moving away from his eyes after his arm practically gave out. He was actually surprised he could move it at all, but he guessed it was one of the factors of being a ghost. After all, what about ghosts made sense? If he was just as he was when he died, he doubted he'd even be able to walk. He then took in the fact she also had held his hand back, which gave him more hope that they could always stick by each other. After all, it was a miracle he had found her in the first place. If it was up to him, he'd never let go of her hand.

Ayumi felt lighter with company, although his appearance may frighten the students she was trying to help, hopefully it wouldn't cause any real trouble. "Well, come on... We have people to try and help," she said lightly in explanation to how she was using her time. So far, all those she had talked to, she ended up finding their corpses, but she wasn't going to give in so easily. Heavenly Host couldn't be impenetrable, and if there was a way to finally break this cycle, she was going to figure it out. She stepped away from him, but kept their held hands alone. She was going to have to be both their eyes, which made her a little nervous. Not that walls had a great effect on them anymore, but she didn't want to lead him astray.

Yoshiki paused at her ushering statement, but it also worked as a way to fill him in. Even as a ghost, in pain and alone, Ayumi was being strong to help others. His look grew soft in admiration, and he wondered how she was even capable of that. He knew he wasn't... His only goal had been to find her, and even though he hadn't turned crazy, he had felt the emptiness closing in on him. His sanity had surely been saved by Ayumi. His hand gripped her's tighter, desperate not to lose her, as it seemed she intended to lead him. He gave a small nod, to show that he was going to try and help too, even if that probably wasn't possible. He may just be leeching off of Ayumi... After all, what could he do? He didn't know anything Ayumi didn't, and his eyes robbed him of the only thing he had been useful in, which was being protection. Though, he couldn't blame it all on sight. Because of his weakened status before he died, he was probably just as weak in ghost standards. All he was good for now was company, but if Ayumi was willing to lead him, he wouldn't argue. He needed her, after all...

It didn't take long to find a live person, Ayumi noticed. The charm was popular among internet-dwellers, and even people who didn't believe such things were willing to go along with it. After all... a charm should be harmless. The girl they found was curled up in the corner, hiding her head between her knees and chest. Sobs wracked her body horribly, and Ayumi couldn't stop feeling empathy for these people. "Stay here," Ayumi whispered quietly to Yoshiki, still worried about the two being separated. She wanted to approach the girl herself, though Yoshiki would only be a foot or two away. She released Yoshiki's hand to crouch by the little girl. "Hello," Ayumi started off, putting a small smile on her face in a way to convey her mind was more normal than the other ghosts around.

The girl rose her head, eyes widening at the ghosts. While the one crouching down by her wasn't scary looking at all, her eyes instantly darted back to the torn up ghost behind her. Missing an eye with cuts over his face... Tears flowed heavier in fear.

Ayumi watched the fearful expression that was in Yoshiki's direction. It was as she thought. He was going to unnerve the students, but he wouldn't attack them or show malice, so it should be fine. "Don't worry about him. He won't hurt you," Ayumi assured her, voice confident.

Yoshiki had to stop when Ayumi's hand no longer led them. In the distance, he could hear sobbing, which he guessed was a student Ayumi was going to try and help. A small jolt of fear went through him when she told him to stay, meaning her hand would leave his soon. He seemed somewhat unsettled, giving her hand a tight squeeze, before having to let go. It'd be fine, though. He could still hear her to know she was around, so he just complied and stood still. He heard her beginning to talk to the girl, then there was pause... before her crying seemed to get harder. His head tilted down slightly, a sort of sadness twinging inside him. Yeah, he must look terrifying... Like something out of a horror movie. His eye glanced to the side, the shadows casting over his face for a moment as he decided to turn around. That way, the girl could maybe feel a little more at ease.

The girl's sobbing slowed down a little bit when Yoshiki turned around. For a moment, she thought he may just walk away. He seemed to be doing it to hide his appearance, and now she felt a little bad. She looked at the girl ghost with the kind, yet obviously dead eyes. "Why aren't you like the rest?" she asked quietly. All the other ghosts had been angry, and even the nonthreatening ones were miserable and lost.

Ayumi paused thoughtfully at the question, unsure why she had made it out of death with such a clear mind. "I'm not really sure. My death wasn't as bad as many in here are, I guess," she said, trying to give an explanation to the question. "What's your name?"

The girl was surprised to hear the girl's death wasn't bad... Was there such a thing as an okay death in this place? In the scale of things, she would have to say certain injuries or sicknesses must be worse. At the question of her name, she just gave her personal name. "Hana."

"Pretty name. I'm Ayumi, and that's Yoshiki," Ayumi introduced, not wanting to ignore her companion. Her stomach had lurched when he turned around. She felt bad, knowing he must realize what his appearance may look like. Hana and her continued to talk for quite a bit. The nature of Heavenly Host, the closed spaces, and the ghosts. Avoid red, and be weary of blue as well. Ayumi chose to not tell her about death being an eternal feeling, and instead tried to give the girl an objective. Appease the core, and you'd get a chance to leave the school. How one would appease Yuki escaped her, but there must be some means to manage. At the very least, it put a spark in the girl's eyes. The talk went on and on, Hana asking many questions. They separated on a high note, but Ayumi was grounded in the reality of what may happen. Turning a wrong corner could mean death. Once Hana left, Ayumi moved back to Yoshiki, taking his hand in hers.

Yoshiki was at least glad the girl calmed down a little bit after the movement. He still felt bad, though... He certainly must look like some nightmare. He stood silent and just listened to Ayumi encourage the girl. That maybe she could get out. But... in reality, was there really such a chance? They had already appeased Yuki, so how could anyone else go about doing that? There was no repentance from the killer... Sachiko had moved on. She was the only ghost to escape Heavenly Host. She already had her body parts back, so Yoshiki couldn't help but feel there no longer was a way out. Then again... that's what the ghosts had told them before. That there was no way out. While they didn't escape, their other friends did, and they had proved the ghosts wrong. So maybe there was a way, and Ayumi was ushering them on to find that way when maybe she couldn't. When it was over, he was a little worried for the girl. He didn't have much faith that she'd be the one to find a way out, and his thoughts went to dark places, afraid of how she'd end up dying. Despite the fear in him, it was washed away when Ayumi's hand returned to his. His expression instantly brightened, and his tight grip on her returned.

Ayumi found it remarkable how Yoshiki's demeanor changed by her hand. She knew he loved her... She certainly felt an affection for him now that she hadn't when he was alive. She wasn't so sure she'd classify to the degree his love reached, but it was definitely strong. Perhaps it was because she knew she had to protect him and watch over him. "Do... you think it's okay to be doing this? Giving them hope that may be false?" she asked quietly. She knew the extent of his answer could on be a nod or a head shake, but she kept doubting herself that her actions were right.

Yoshiki was just focused on her hand as they stood in silence, which had at first troubled him, but since he knew she was around it wasn't bad. When she began to talk, he was intently listening to her clear voice. He looked down quietly, squeezing her hand while thinking over the question. Was it? he asked himself, but doubted he could give the answer he came up with to her. It was something more complicated than a yes or no, but that's all he had to work with. On one hand, they may not get out... They could die like everyone else. But... is it wrong to tell them they might have a chance? So their spirits don't shatter?... He gave a nod after deliberating for a moment, seeming firm in his decision. Giving them hope wasn't a bad thing necessarily... It gave them drive, even if they were alone. Though they may not actually make it out... at least they could pick themselves up and give it a valiant try. Also... they didn't know anything about this school. The only reason it could be wrong is if Ayumi knew it was all lies she was spewing, but she didn't. He didn't either, not for sure. Plus, it was better than telling them they mys well go crawl in a corner and die, like some spirits tend to say.

Ayumi watched him as he seemed to consider her question. She wasn't sure what she would do if he thought she should stop, because it was a purpose that kept her moving. Sure, she also had the responsibility of watching after Yoshiki, but she wanted to get them to a better place. Together they had figured out so much of Heavenly Host... who says they couldn't dismantle this place altogether? She had no clue how, but they had time... At his nod, she brightened a little bit. Yoshiki wouldn't lie to her about his feelings. Sure, it would be nice to have some words, but his nod meant he supported her, and that was good. "Alright," she said, realizing she needed to give verbal confirmation. She began to walk again, leading him by their held hands.

Yoshiki smiled lightly as she seemed to accept his answer. He was hoping she didn't feel guilt over this whole thing. The fact she was even trying to save them... it was amazing. She should never look at it like a bad thing. He began following her as closely as possible when she began moving again. He had to stay back a little to know which direction she headed in, but he still tried to linger closer to her rather than lagging behind too much.

* * *

Ayumi wasn't sure how it happened, but she knew she was deeply panicked by it. She had no clue how he left her sight! Had she let go of his hand!? She didn't think so. But, she turned around, and he wasn't there. Yoshiki was gone. The school ripped him away as quickly as it had given him to her, and now alarms were going off in her head wildly. Her walk was upgraded to a run, and her fear was running the show. Would she never be able to see him again? Who knew how many closed spaces were held in the school. Yoshiki was blind without her, and she was too horrified to think of how he would spend his time without her. "Yoshiki! Yoshiki!" she yelled down the hallways. She had to find him... They had met up before, and it was okay. They could find each other again. She just wanted to find him soon.

* * *

Her hand was gone... How?... How didn't matter, it was gone... GONE. Yoshiki began to pant, and he could swear he could feel his heart wildly beating. Emotions stuck with you, he guessed, but he didn't even care how it happened. He just knew what it was. Panic. He tried to reign himself in, before that empty feeling sucked him in. He bit down his breaths, trying to listen. _'For what? What am I...'_ Footsteps. Her voice. SOMETHING. But after a moment of nothing except the rain and occasional thunder, he grew more and more panicked. He began to tremble lightly, his eye wide and his feet starting to carry him somewhere. There was no destination, only fear, anxiety, and frustration was his drive to move. His panting grew harder, and his hands came up to grasp at his head, fingers weaving tightly into his hair. Where? Where? WHERE?! "Aaaa... AaaaAAAAaaAA!" he began to yell in a quivering, cracking voice that was often interrupted by heavy breaths. His sanity had deteriorated at a much quicker rate once he had Ayumi, and then didn't. His eye darted around when it wasn't squeezed shut, even though he had nothing to be 'looking' for. _'Where are you? Come back... come back! Protect... It's dark... DARK. Ayumi... Ithurtsithurts... ALONE!'_ Tears began running from his eye in heavy streams, while his left hand was much more tensed. The two closest fingers began digging into the empty eye socket with insanity, which made fresh blood begin to leak out. _'Stop hurting. STOPSTOPSTOP.'_

Hana was wandering the hallways, repeating the ghost girl's words in her mind. If she found a way to appease the core, Yuki, she would get to go home. She needed to meet up with her friends first... but, now she knew what to actually look for in the classrooms. She was heading through the main building, and went up to the second floor when she noticed the familiar ghost. She hesitated for a moment, since he seemed... very off. Where was Ayumi? "Um... excuse me. You're Yoshiki, right?" she asked slowly, approaching him hesitantly. Did the ghosts lose each other? He seemed very upset, and while she was terrified of getting close, he had been with that nice ghost that helped her.

Yoshiki was still caught in his delirium, the insane, fast thoughts never ceasing. But still, miraculously, he heard something through his thoughts and pain. He stopped completely, even his mind was dead quiet. Was it Ayumi? Or did it steal her from him...? He turned slightly in the direction he thought it had come in, but he couldn't be sure. He needed to hear it again... His eye was wide, darting around despite it's blindness. His hands had also left his head, one had dropped down to his side while the other was still halfway in the air. Other than the turn in her direction, he made no movement, not a friendly one nor aggressive one.

Hana watched him react to her voice. It seemed to have settled him down enough that he was listening. She stepped a little closer, feeling more confident. Ayumi had said he wouldn't hurt her, after all. "Did you lose your friend? Ayumi?" she asked, figuring the ghost was unable to really speak, so she tried to settle for easy to answer questions. She wasn't so sure how she'd get him back to the other ghost, but she wouldn't feel right abandoning him.

Yoshiki flinched slightly when the voice resurfaced. His mind gripped tight with insanity, he didn't register that the voice was familiar. He couldn't recognize that it was Hana at all. All he could think about was Ayumi. _'THEY HAVE HER. HURT HER... STOLEN... GET HER BACK...__**PROTECT**__!'_ He gave a low, menacing groan, his body trembling and his eye narrowed threateningly. Without any warning beyond that, he lunged at innocent Hana, tackling her to the ground. "AAAAaaaAAAAA!" he screamed at her, though couldn't say anything coherently. His hands went for her throat, but didn't simply choke her. Rather, he was trying to dig at her throat, in a similar way he had been clawing at his eye. Though since his strength was lacking, he more had the strength of an average person, so more force was required to do what he wanted done with the disgusting, heinous person who would take Ayumi away from him and hurt her. _'GIVE HER BACK GIVE GIVE DON'T HURT HER PROTECT PROTECT KILL KILL__**KILL**__-!'_

Ayumi was sprinting through the school, her stamina or pain fully ignored in a hurried search for Yoshiki. She had so many awful things going through her head, so when she turned a corner and saw his figure, she brightened up. "Yosh-" she began to call out, but her voice was stolen when she registered the whole scene. She could make out Hana's face, contorted with fear and covered in blood. Her neck torn apart and eyes hollow with death. Tears rose to her eyes when she realized that the girl must have only approached Yoshiki because she had said he was safe. And Yoshiki... was he gone forever? Did the school take his mind in those moments she lost him? "Yoshiki!" she yelled louder, wanting to know if Yoshiki's mind would come back to him. There was no way he would have ever attacked Hana like that in the state of mind he was in with her...

Yoshiki paused at another sound, now that the gurgles and screams of pain had been quieted. He blinked, his own shouts ceasing and his hands slowly moving away from Hana's neck. At his name being called again, his chest felt lighter, and his whole demeanor seemed to change completely. He stood, running in a straight shot from where he had been to where he had heard her. His arms quickly wrapped around her, tears instead flowing with relief. He gave a happy sigh, holding her tighter. _'I thought you were gone for good... Thank God.'_ He was acting so normal, it could only be guessed that he really was crazy, or just was unaware of what he did. Or... were the ideas, in a way, two sides of the same coin?

Ayumi wasn't sure if she was happy or terrified when he snapped back into himself. His arms were tight around her, and she buried her head against his chest in an effort to hide the tears. She didn't know why, he wouldn't be able to see them, but it felt necessary. She couldn't lose him, could she? He was attacking because he didn't have her to weigh him down. It was scary. The school wouldn't let the two be together all the time, and it seemed that the occasional separation would be forced. If she found him before he found a person, it would be fine. Although... by the way he acted... he had no clue what he just did? That was probably for the best... He wouldn't react well to knowing he tore Hana's throat apart. The poor girl. She really didn't deserved to be cut down before she had even gotten a fighting chance. She took a deep breath to level herself, and adjusted her head against him so she could speak. "I'm sorry, Yoshiki. I don't know what happened... I had your hand one second and the next it was gone..." she said, feeling like she had failed him.

Yoshiki shook his head at her apology, to indicate it wasn't necessary. He may be blind, but he knew that this hadn't been her fault. After all, he hadn't felt her let go, more rather the school just forcefully separated them. He guessed as a wondering ghost, being around someone else didn't matter too much. Closed spaces could still shift. So... their hands intertwined wasn't as full proof as he wanted it to be. That truthfully scared him... but he was also happy she had been searching for him, and just as scared as he had been. he leaned against her head, content with how they were now. _'It's okay... We're together again, so everything's okay'_, he thought firmly in his head, smiling in satisfaction. He didn't know what he would do without her...

Yoshiki's smile was infectious, and she found herself mimicking his expression. She really did feel better with him around. It made her long for his voice in a way she never would have imagined was possible. To have more of a conversation than her having to phrase things with yes or no, or him being able to simply agree or disagree. More than that, though, she would like to hear him sing... It wouldn't happen, though. The ghosts had stolen away his tongue. She shut her eyes, leaning against him for a silent moment. It would be nice to just sleep against him, but ghosts couldn't sleep. They were stuck, aware and in pain. The two of them seemed to be making the best of it, though. "We should keep going," Ayumi said, indicating he could release his tight grip on her. She would try her damnedest to not lose him again.

Yoshiki enjoyed the silence now that he had Ayumi in his arms. He leaned his head against hers, but the moment seemed much too short for him. _'What if we get separated again? I don't want to lose you...'_, he thought, squeezing her lightly with a small reluctance. Maybe if he stayed close like this, the school would never tear them apart. _'Stay like this. We can just stay close forever...'_ His eye opened quickly, widening slightly. _'No! We have to... save others, and maybe we can get rid of this place. Of course we can't just stay here...'_ He shook off the earlier, possessive thought. He didn't like the sort of vibe it had given him... After a moment, he finally relented his grip on her, his arms sliding back to stay at his sides. He didn't move, since he didn't have the 'eyes' of Ayumi's hand.

Ayumi blinked slowly when his grip tightened slightly. She could understand he was scared of the possible separation, so she couldn't get annoyed at him lagging his reaction to her command. When he released and his hands fell to his side, her hand moved quickly to grab one of his. She gave it a reassuring squeeze, trying to make the two feel confident they'd stay in each other's grasps. She couldn't lose Yoshiki again... not for just his sake, but the students wandering these halls. He had lost it when she lost him. She began to lead him along again, mind buzzing with the new responsibility on her head.

Yoshiki smiled lightly at the squeeze, returning it quickly. It did feel secure... but not as much as the first time. He didn't want her whisked away from him ever again... It scared him that he knew it would, though. He took in a large breath to sigh, to maybe relieve a bit of the pressure in his head. They seemed to be back walking around the school, to look for other kids stuck in here. It felt good to be doing something, he guessed, but... he really only hurt Ayumi's cause. He scared the other students, he couldn't talk, see. Nothing. He felt more like a hindrance than ever. His hand tightened around her's anxiously as he looked down. Was he dragging her down? Being an inconvenience... He didn't like it, but he didn't want to be without her either. She really did want him around, didn't she?... This wasn't just pity, or an obligation, right?... He hoped those weren't the cases.


	3. Chapter 3

It was after talking to student after student that Ayumi's head began to burn with ideas. She was already sick of this life and pain. She wanted the two of them to find relief, and for this school to stop swallowing so many whole. She led Yoshiki into the infirmary one day, eyes glazing over the wall that had Mayu's splattered corpse. She still hadn't seen the others yet... It was by some miracle her and Yoshiki found each other. Or maybe, it was because their corpses were close or they were near each other at death. She sat down on the bed, even if her legs didn't feel anymore tired than they did when she first died. She tugged Yoshiki down. "You can sit," she explained, so he knew what her directions were leading to. She didn't dare release his hand for a moment, though. "I think... I have an idea... but I really doubt it could work," she began to say, but made sure to mention her own skepticism of it.

Yoshiki felt this routine a bit tiresome. Appeasing Yuki wasn't going to work, was it? After all, she had already been, technically. His hope of escaping this pain, with Ayumi, may not be feasible. He thought they had been walking in the normal hallway, until he felt a pull on his hand. He blinked, confused at first until Ayumi told him he could sit. Ah... The infirmary? He navigated his way to her side, settling down on the bed. He turned his head in her direction, then gave a small shrug. _'Say it anyways. We need to try something new regardless,'_ he thought, always wanting to say more than he could actually communicate.

Ayumi watched his shoulder's shrug, assuming that meant she should go on and say it anyways. "If any of these students figure out how to appease Yuki..." Ayumi began, although that was a huge hitch in the plan. Yuki had been appeased in many ways, but the school had still grabbed a hold of her. Still, there was always a chance... after all, she knew for a fact Yuki had a fight with her mother, resulting in her staying at school late and being killed. Maybe the students could give her comfort in that way. "The next core could be me. Possibly. My sister's a medium, and with how much I had been possessed while alive, I have to have psychic blood. Plus, even if the chances of me being related to Sachiko are extremely slim, given how common a last name Shinozaki is, it is a possibility. If I end up as the next core... if I'm able to keep my mind about me, maybe there's some way I could break the system of this place down," Ayumi explained, unsure if her thought process was clear or if this was a good idea. She really wished Yoshiki could talk to her right now, because a nod or shake of the head wouldn't be much to motivate her towards this idea...

Yoshiki was on board when the idea started, but his stomach seemed to constrict when she got to her main point. Ayumi... becoming the core?... Sure, it sounded good on the initial thought, but... being the core seemed to drive anyone mad. It may be like inheriting all the anger and sadness from Heavenly Host, and he doubted Ayumi could withstand it. True, she was okay now, which was a lot more than any other ghost had at this point, even him. But still, becoming the core... it scared him. If she lost her mind, she most likely wouldn't care about him anymore and split for good. Not only that, but they'd all be imprisoned here indefinitely. Ayumi would most likely kill others, as well... and he knew she definitely didn't want that. But... against all those bad things, which she had to be aware of too, there was the hope of getting rid of Heavenly Host for good. A hope of being able to rest peacefully, without these injuries and pain. Plus... he really did believe in Ayumi. She had done so much, and he believed she could do this too. After a long stretch of silence, his hand squeezed hers, and his other hand searched for a moment before grabbing her other hand. He smiled, though it held a sort of solemn tone, and gave her a nod. _'It's worth the try. The attempt to be free from this place... and I... really believe you can, Ayumi.'_

Ayumi waited silently when he seemed to be sorting through his thoughts, and she could understand. She wasn't so sure what being the core entailed to her sanity, but it would most likely ravage her mind. The last thing she wanted was to kill anyone or leave Yoshiki alone. He wouldn't be able to do anything in the darkness, and anyone unfortunate to come across him would be murdered. She was scared of the plan, uncertainty and guessing running most of it. Still, a chance was a chance. They had succeeded in life at opening a path to get home... They had the best chance of figuring this out. Ayumi's eyes widened slightly when he took her other hand and held them tightly. His smile and nod lit up her determination further. He believed in her... It was a terrifying thought, because she could so easily fail him. She wouldn't let herself do that, though. "Haha... okay... we have a plan then," Ayumi said with a breathless edge. "I swear I'll do my best to stay with you," she said firmly, holding his hands tightly. She still had no idea where this affection for him came from, but it was definitely there and refusing to falter. As long as she had a bit of her own mind, she'd fight for the two of them.

Yoshiki was a little taken back at her declaration. If he could, he'd probably be blushing about now. _'What's that about? Haah... Our roles really have changed. I wish I could still protect her, though... But there's nothing I can do about it.'_ He smiled fondly, his eye becoming half-lidded as it moved down. The squeeze put a warmth in his stomach, that he had to just soak in for a second. As a ghost, he hadn't expected to feel such things, but... for them to have the capacity for anger and sadness, other emotions had to follow. He guessed he thought differently because no other ghost had something to take their mind off the suffering. He gave a soft nod, then leaned against her so his head was settled on her shoulder. Living, he would have never done this, but now all he cared about was having her presence. He didn't want to lose it, so this idea scared him. He really did trust Ayumi to be able to do it, but reality wasn't always so kind. So, he wanted to be even closer, to take his mind off of what could happen in their future. His eyes closed, and his mind attempted to drown out everything else. _'Though you're scared too, and I'm completely useless... you still hold my hand and talk about such things. To stay with me... and willing to try such a risky plan for everyone... I don't... deserve someone amazing like you, Ayumi...'_, he thought, his brows furrowing lightly as tears welled up, and then eventually escaping from his shut eye. _'Aaah, dammit... look at me... I can't even be strong for her anymore. So pathetic.'_

Ayumi smiled lightly at his nod, something warm inside her from his trust. The last thing she expected was for him to lean forward and settle his head on her shoulder. She guessed this was the natural progression... Their contact made it easier to ignore the painful throbbing from her death wound, and she guessed it was the same thing for him. Although, she knew it was more. He had told her he loved her. She moved a hand to the nape of his neck, moving her fingers into his hair. He had comforted her so well before she died, she was happy to be able to give some back. At some point, she swore water hit her neck, and she wasn't sure what to do. She wasn't sure why he was crying. Was it because of what she was risking by doing this? Or was he just generally scared about all of this? She really wished they could just talk to each other, but that wasn't an option, so she leaned her head lightly against him and let them stay there. They were in no rush. They could just enjoy this for a little bit.

Yoshiki couldn't keep a smile from reforming at feeling her hand in his hair. He wasn't sure if it was from pity or not, but that hardly mattered. All that mattered was the emotions it filled him with, and how much it made his headache seemingly fade. It was when Ayumi's head leaned onto him that he felt an overwhelming desire to just sleep. It was disheartening knowing that would never happen as long as they were in Heavenly Host. But... he could imitate the peace of it, at least a little bit. His free arm wrapped around her side, and he let himself, and her, fall to the side. They landed with a soft plop, but otherwise it was silent. He buried his face against her closer, his grip on her clothes tight. _'We can just pretend... For a little while, okay? Just a little bit...'_

* * *

Yoshiki had lost it again. The feeling of Ayumi's hand... But this time, instead of progressive deterioration, has sanity was whisked away to the same shape it had been before. He didn't waste time trying to keep calm, or actually listen for her to see if she was just a few steps away. His mind was instantly dropped into madness, his screams for Ayumi loud and painful. His mind was a jumbled mess of worried, violent, and despairing thoughts, speaking with loud urgency. Venomous ideas of protection, pleas, desperation, and more cycled through with unbelievable potency. The self harm also continued, though his digging and clawing seemed to have worsened from last time. But the second he heard something other than himself, everything stopped within. A footstep?

Then the footsteps turned into a run, and Yoshiki was instantly ready for the hunt. _'Ayumi wouldn't run. She wouldn't-... WOULDN'T RUN'_, he told himself, concluding that this person was running because they had done something to Ayumi. _'Only filth runs. CATCH IT. KILL. PROTECT.'_ When the sounds of steps got close enough, he lunged for the person, tackling them successfully. There was a male grunt and panicked gasps, also the clatter of something metallic. He didn't pay any mind to those sounds, though. He was only focused on giving this bastard what he deserved. Pain and death.

Ayumi was going through their normal routine of finding lost high school students to briefly mentor, and it happened again. Her hand suddenly closed in on itself, her fist tight and heart lurched. _'No! Yoshiki! I can't have lost you again!'_ she thought, worried tears forming, but she paid them no mind. She had to hurry! If he found another person... They could have the Hana situation occur again. She couldn't let Yoshiki put anymore blood on his hands. She didn't know where to look, though! She was stuck just running, flashing to different closed spaces and screaming Yoshiki's name. She wouldn't slow down, though. She was aware of the clock that was ticking.

Her chest felt tight without Yoshiki. Her head was spinning in all the things that could be happening. Him tearing into some terrified student... Tearing into himself out of fear of her absence. She felt the responsibility move her feet as fast as they could go. She yelled his name down every corridor, but received no response. She knew the moment he heard her, he'd be fine. It was just the matter of timing. Her scared thoughts dissipated at sight of him. He had tackled someone down, though. The worry of being too late entered her mind, but she could only assure him she was there to stop it. "Yoshiki! Yoshiki, I'm here!" she yelled, racing to get where he was.

Yoshiki grabbed the guy's back tightly, intending to rip into it, but then a voice past the desperate yells pierced the darkness. He stopped, looking in the direction of where his name had been called. His hand let go of the boy's jacket, and he quickly got to his feet. The other boy could be heard, shuffling upwards, but Yoshiki didn't pay attention to that. The footsteps approaching plus the voice made a smile come back to his face, relief apparent in his expression. "Aa-"

"Take this, you BASTARD!" shouted the man from behind.

_CRACK._

The sound of metal against bone was a sickening crack that echoed through the halls as well as in Yoshiki's head. The pain was buzzing, and his already weak mind couldn't withstand the ringing it caused. He fell on to his stomach, his head completely disoriented and the hit bringing new, fresh agony to his headache.

Ayumi was approaching fast, relieved she had managed to find him so quickly. Then the boy that had been pinned down struck Yoshiki. Her movements jerked still for a moment, eyes following Yoshiki's collapse to the floor. It didn't register in her mind that Yoshiki was already dead. What mattered is that that boy hurt him. The protective flame in her chest exploded in a rage that she hadn't felt before. She lunged forward, grabbing at the boy's throat and shoving him to the ground. A physical feat she would have never been capable of in life, but as a ghost it felt like tossing around a plush doll. She looked down at the boy, eyes wide in anger and hatred. He hurt Yoshiki. He attacked him. She was going to beat his head into itself and see- Her thoughts cracked. No... no... She released her grip on his neck, stumbling back from him. "S-sorry," she gasped. The fire in her chest wasn't gone, but her rationality was kicking in. The boy was defending himself, because Yoshiki had approached as a threat, because she had lost him. She couldn't kill him for self-preservation... She couldn't kill anyone for any reason. Then, a new detail caught her eyes. "A... Kisaragi..." she gasped, chest aching. The ID gave it away. The year... It had been over 20 years since they died...? Her chest hurt even worse.

He had hit it. He had actually been able to strike it. Yosuke couldn't really believe it. Even if, logically speaking, he should be able to touch them, he hadn't anticipated that the chair leg would make contact with a ghost. His amazement was quickly pushed away when the incoming girl, presumably a ghost too, tackled him onto the ground. With her hand around his throat, he didn't think he was getting out of this one. His hand abandoned the weapon to instinctively pry the girl's hands off of him, but his actions proved futile. She felt a lot stronger than the guy had been, which was a bit strange to him, but that wasn't exactly important right now. Though, then, her hands left him almost as quickly as she had pounced on him. He turned over on his hand and knees, his other hand grasping at his throat as he coughed violently. Sorry? Like an apology would fix anything. Plus, why would he believe it was on accident? Once he recovered, his hand grabbed the chair leg again, and he scrambled up and turned to face the ghost. She didn't... look violent. Her next words caught him off guard a little. Sure, he had his ID with the school name on it, but she spoke like she knew of Kisaragi. His brow rose and he gave a curious look, though his hand was tight around the metallic chair leg to show he was still on guard. Violence probably wouldn't work well against ghosts, but he had been able to put that other one out of commission for a moment. That confidence along with curiosity was enough to make him stay around instead of high tail it out of there.

Ayumi stared at the boy, reeling from the information. Twenty years... Damn. She wouldn't have guessed they had been trapped here this long. Then again, the amount of people they've talked to... the time they've spent wandering... She guessed twenty years just flew by them in a quiet whisper. It wasn't like time was doing much for them. She pulled her eyes away from the ID, looking at the chair leg he gripped. She hoped he didn't try to strike her. While she was in better condition to recover or dodge, if it did make contact, Yoshiki could gain back his murderous intent. "Ha... can't believe it. Out of all the schools in Japan," she mulled with a small shake of her head. She guessed the girl's uniform may have changed over that time if he didn't recognize hers... "I'm not going to hurt you. He won't either, as long as I'm here," she began to explain, but moved away to crouch by Yoshiki in worry. Normally she would rub his head to soothe him, but instead she chose to rub his shoulder, not wanting to hurt his fragile mind anymore.

Yoshiki hadn't been able to catch the words or actions of Ayumi or the other boy for a moment, the ringing still painfully vibrant in his head. The recovery went along faster when he felt Ayumi's hand on his back, to let him know she was definitely there. He slowly made it up to sit, though his hand had lifted to press against his forehead lightly. Uugh... Why had someone hit him? Actually, where did he come from, for that matter?

Yosuke gave them strange looks, not entirely believing her words right off. "You _both_ just tried to kill me. Why should I believe you ghosts?" he asked sharply, watching their movements anxiously.

Huh? No he hadn't... Yoshiki hadn't attacked anyone since dying... Or... did he? His head turned in the direction he assumed Ayumi to be in, his look somewhat scared. _'Did I? Have I hurt others before too? Or... kill?'_

Ayumi froze at his words, eyes darting to Yoshiki to watch his reaction. She mentally cursed, stomach sinking that now he was going to have to be concerned about that... She wanted to keep it hidden from him. The times she lost him were never good. He didn't need to have that guilt weigh down his mind. She looked back to the boy, brow furrowed. "If I wanted to kill you, I would have. And he stopped attacking you the moment I came here. We have no interest in furthering the bloodshed in this place," she said with an unwavering voice. Her hand stayed on Yoshiki's back, moving in circular motions to calm him. She hoped he wouldn't give too much thought or ask an explanation from her. So far, she hadn't lied to him, since it was simply the absence of information. It was better for his spirit to not know what's happened.

Ayumi's answer to the boy seemed to verify Yoshiki's fears. His head turned back to the ground, his eye downcast as he thought. He had attacked him?... He didn't remember... Did that mean he had attacked others, too? Others that would no longer be able to testify to the event...? He lightly trembled, though Ayumi's constant rubbing kept him a little grounded. He suddenly felt sick, certain now that he wasn't as innocent in this place as he wanted to be.

Yosuke held his tongue, seemingly a little agitated the girl put logic into the situation. He didn't really want to trust these two... but he could find no reason to be suspicious of them. The girl was right after all. If they were only out for blood, they would've already killed him. He made it apparent he admitted defeat, but still didn't take his eyes off the pair. Though, now that fearful adrenaline wasn't pumping through him... he could actually absorb the details of the two. The guy wasn't anything special, since a lot of school uniforms looked like that, but the girl's heavily resembled the girl's Kisaragi uniform. It would make sense, since she had seemed familiar with the name.

Ayumi watched Yoshiki in concern, worried what this may do to him. He'd be even more terrified to be split apart from her, if he figured out how things had happened. She looked back to the boy, and he seemed to be less aggressive now that she gave a logical presentation of facts. "If you have any questions about the school, I can try and answer them for you," she offered. She could understand if the boy would rather split away from the two ghosts, since this entire place was, for the most part, aimed at killing people. She hoped he'd take this opportunity, though. Knowing they had been like this for twenty years... She wanted students to listen to her, and maybe even put her plan into motion.

Yosuke narrowed his eyes at the two. He still felt an unease, but judging by the rest of this place, that would be a constant thing. He tilted his head questioningly at her when she offered information about this school. He glanced around, feeling that he was getting nowhere by himself. "Uh, yeah...," he muttered, still unsure about conversing with ghosts that just pounced on him, but he had little other option. Plus, he couldn't waste time when looking for his friend. "Have you... seen anyone else around here?" he asked hesitantly. It wasn't really a question about the school, but it's what he wanted to know first and foremost.

Ayumi looked at him for a moment, feeling a pang in her chest. The friendship charm is what led people into this place... It was so sick. She frowned and gave a small shake of her head. "I haven't encountered another Kisaragi student. Did you come here with many people?"she asked, trying to figure out how many students she should keep an eye on. Maybe this group of Kisaragi students would be the one to collapse this evilness once and for all. It was dangerously optimistic, but she felt a kinship from their school.

Yosuke felt a little disheartened at the girl's answer, but he hadn't been overly optimistic in the first place. Though she could be annoying sometimes, he did worry, so he'd like to find her. At her question, his mind began to think over what may be the cause of this. She certainly sounded like she knew, and he was starting to put pieces together too. "Only one other, actually...," he admitted, letting his grip on the chair leg slacken. The way she spoke was certainly different than any other ghost. She practically sounded like she was still alive, though the wound through her stomach and out her back told too much the opposite.

Only two, Ayumi reflected. The smaller number didn't even guarantee falling together into a place like this. She had been lucky when she had fallen in with Ms. Yui and Yoshiki. "I'll keep an eye out for any other Kisaragi students," she assured with a small nod. Her and Yoshiki were always searching anyways, so the new target wouldn't even shift their routine. "Is that all...?" she asked curiously, wondering if there was any details about the actual school he wanted to know. She'd like to bring his friend back to him quickly, but she didn't have a way to quickly find anyone. Whenever she lost Yoshiki, it was always a rushed panic of running around hallways to find him.

Yosuke didn't feel much better, even with her declaration they'd be looking for her. After all, they were still ghosts, and they could turn at the drop of a hat. He still had no idea about this school or anything in it, but he didn't know how to put his question into words. Rather... he'd just ask it all collectively. "Of course not. You sound like you know a lot about this place... and I'd like to not go in blind," he mentioned with a small attitude, something he couldn't shake off even in this sort of situation. "Also... Wouldn't it make more sense to look for her together? After all, if you find her, how will you know where I am?" he asked, and though he wasn't too fond of the idea, it made the most sense, and she seemed confident that they wouldn't hurt him.

Ayumi stared at him thoughtfully. People didn't make suggestions like that, because who wanted to hang around two somewhat unstable ghosts? Well, he did, if only for upping his chances of finding his friend and getting out of there. She couldn't argue it was probably a better plan, but she felt a little reluctant. She guessed over all this time, she was only used to being around Yoshiki now. A silent companion who communicated through contact... Ayumi's hand fell from Yoshiki's back to grab his hand, giving it a small squeeze. "Are you okay going with him?" she asked, since she did consider the two of them a partnership. She would consult him with decisions.

Yoshiki was brought out of his thoughts when he felt Ayumi squeeze his hand. He blinked, letting himself come back to the situation at hand. Okay with him?... Did he want to come along? They had never gotten such a request before... Plus, for him to want to stick around after he attacked him... he must be desperate. His hand shifted to be able to squeeze her hand back. _'If he's okay with me... there's really nothing to stop him'_, he thought, though he was afraid he'd end up killing him. He didn't want to think about that stuff, though. Besides, if the guy wanted to come, it was his own decision. After all, it was only him who had something to lose. They were already dead... Even through this whole thought process, though, all he could do was give Ayumi a nod. It would have to suffice, even if he desperately wanted to give reasons to his decisions. Otherwise, what proof would she have to believe in his answers?

Ayumi watched him go through a thought process. At his nod, she was still a little reluctant, but it seemed to be the best course of action. "Okay," she said quietly to him, slowly rising to stand from their spots on the floor. Her hand's grasp on his didn't falter. She looked at the boy, giving a small nod. "We'll come with you. Also, I'm Ayumi and this is Yoshiki," she introduced briefly, since it felt like such details should be exchanged. She had to wonder how long they would stay with this boy... Would they be able to protect him from potential harm? Would they find his classmate dead? They were all possibilities...

Yosuke watched quietly as the girl consulted the other ghost, but she only received a nod. In all this, he had only heard the boy scream, so he had to assume he couldn't coherently talk. He saw the girl finally stand, the other soon following suit. Ayumi and Yoshiki, huh? The names rung no bells, so he guessed these two had been in here for quite a long time. "Alright... well, I'm Yosuke. Anyways, let's go. You can tell me about the other stuff about this school while we're looking," he mentioned, walking a little closer. His hand was now pretty lax with the chair leg, but he wasn't abandoning it.

Ayumi nodded lightly, a little surprised how target-focused he was in light of all of this. It sort of reminded her of Yoshiki's initial coolness in handling so much from Heavenly Host. She had been a mess initially, but she had been able to rise from that fear. "Alright," Ayumi agreed, giving the chair leg a weary look. It was smart to have some sort of weapon, but he had used it on Yoshiki before, so she felt a little less okay with it. It wouldn't have to happen again as long as she stayed with Yoshiki, even if the school had a tendency to cut them off from each other after some point. She shifted her focus to the explanation of the school. After all, this guy may be their key to getting out of here. So far he was different than any other encounter...


	4. Chapter 4

Yosuke was unsure how long they had spent walking. He was always a little on edge around the two, but they were so far very docile. He also listened to Ayumi closely, though he couldn't say most of the information made sense. All that stuff about closed spaces... It wasn't something he could really comprehend. Also, the Sachiko Ever After charm... She had wanted to try it out of curiosity, and no one would participate. He hadn't been willing to either at first, since he felt he could do better things with his time, but she eventually talked him into it. He could spend all day blaming her and sulking, but what would that help? Absolutely nothing. She didn't know, therefore didn't deserve to die. It was when Ayumi was talking about some kind of appeasement or whatever that he caught onto the familiar uniform. His eyes widened slightly, and he ran a little bit ahead of the other two ghosts. He cupped a hand over his mouth to let his yell travel farther, so he could get her attention. "Heeey! Mochida!" he called, glad they had been able to locate her before something else did.

Mizuki was finding herself dragging, because the hallways felt like they stretched forever with no discernible changes. She couldn't believe that this was happening, but every turn reconfirmed the fact she was in a haunted school. Alone. Who knew where Yosuke went. Her thoughts were low when she heard a familiar voice that managed to pull her from the muck of her own mind. "Komatsu! You're o-AHHHhh," her voice went from cheerful to absolutely terrified in a moment. She had encountered ghosts in this place... and for the most part, she easily avoided them or ran. Now Yosuke had two behind him, and she didn't even care if they didn't feel particularly evil, because they were dead and this school had probably driven them insane.

Yosuke was relieved to finally find Mizuki, but her yell easily alerted him. Then, he remembered that the two behind him weren't exactly... normal. He had just spent so much time around them, it felt natural to have them around. He glanced back at them, then turned to Mizuki and gave a dismissive wave. "No, it's okay, they're fine... Well, more than anything else in this place. They know a lot about the school," he tried to explain, though he was aware he wouldn't be easily believed. After all, their appearances, especially the blind one, would be enough to scare one off. But they had been helpful, and aside from their bad start they had been okay 'company'.

Mizuki gave Yosuke a strange look as he claimed the mutilated figures behind them were 'fine.' The guy especially looked awful... like one of those ghosts that would try to steal an eye in order to replace the one he had missing. Her eyes fell on the less beat up of the two ghosts and noticed the wide-eyed stare she was receiving. It made her feel even less sure that these two were any decent company. She turned to ask what the heck their deal was when the girl took some shaky steps forward.

"M-Mochida. You just called her Mochida," Ayumi said with a tremble in her voice. The time... even if it wasn't... she could see _them_ in her. But maybe it was a reflection of something that was impossible. The two of them had never been able to find out if Satoshi, Naomi, and Yuka had actually made it.

"Y-yeah... that's my family name," Mizuki said nervously, looking at Yosuke in question of why her last name would even matter to some ghost. Though, now that she took a good look, their uniforms made her realize they must have attended Kisaragi as well. But how long ago?

Yoshiki was unsure if he had just heard wrong, but then Ayumi's voice confirmed it. Mochida? No way... Had it really been that long? Had Satoshi and the others really made it out?... He tried to ground himself, since a family name was nothing set in stone, and he couldn't see if the girl bore a resemblance, but... for them to go to Kisaragi, it was just uncanny. He followed Ayumi a few steps closer, his eye widened a little and a smile on his face. He had admittedly been worried if the three had gotten out, but now... they could possibly have proof that their friends made it out. Though, his smile quickly faded with the realization that if this was Satoshi's kid, she was in Heavenly Host. It made this feel a lot more personal.

Yosuke glanced back at the two ghosts, unsure why Mizuki's last name meant anything to them. Though, it seemed to strike a chord with both of them... Well, Mizuki's parents had gone to Kisaragi, but what were the chances that these students knew them?

Ayumi was afraid to let herself get too hopeful, but it seemed her heart was already rising with the idea. To make it out and have a life together... Ayumi already felt pride and happiness for the two of them. She had to remind herself that the family name wasn't a guarantee."Your parents... Are they Satoshi and Naomi?" she asked quietly, heart seizing. This would be very good news but also very bad.

Mizuki's eyes widened in surprise at her parents name, finding it really weird and coincidental they would know them. "Y...yeah. They're my parents," she confirmed with a small nod. "Did you go to school with them?"

Ayumi smiled sadly, hand tightening greatly around Yoshiki's hand at the flood of emotions hitting her. Well, now they had no other option than to appease Yuki, because they had to get these two out of here. The knowledge that their friends were alive was at the forefront of her mind, though. It had always plagued her thoughts, wondering if the bells timed out before they got to their destination. Tears began to stream out of her eyes, and she gave a breathless laugh. "We did... We were in the same junior class."

Yoshiki felt his heart clench at the girl's answer, his head turning down. He returned the tight grip on Ayumi's hand, a new fire of determination burning within. All this time, he had only really been concerned about Ayumi, which probably had to do with his mental state not being as clear as he'd like to think. But now... it was extremely personal. This was his best friend's daughter. He couldn't let her be killed by this heinous place, and then Satoshi lose her forever to a place he thought was in his past. His head turned to the side, a solemn smile tugging at his lips when Ayumi mentioned their relations with the two. It didn't feel like so long ago that they had been together in 2-9... but the reality was it had been a whole other generation's worth of time. It was so surreal...

Yosuke looked surprised at Ayumi, noticing that they had known Mizuki's parents. Really, what were the odds?... Well, while this was a strange revelation, maybe now Mizuki would comply with being around these two. After all, as far as he could tell with the information he was given, these two were their best shots at getting out.

Mizuki looked between the two ghosts, floored that they knew her mom and dad... Her parents never seemed to mention anything about them, and there weren't any pictures of the two in old albums her dad would sometimes go through. She could feel an odd type of affection coming off the ghosts, and she guessed that was because of their previous relations to her parents. She tried to relax, figuring they were no threat. They seemed too clear in their mind to be a threat.

"We're going to get you two out of here," Ayumi announced her expression shifting to a more focused gaze. She wiped the tears from her cheeks and released a shaky sigh. They could do this.

"How, though?" Mizuki asked slowly, wanting to know what the plan was for this. She certainly didn't want to have to deal with certain facets of this school, but if it got her home, she guessed she was down to do anything.

"We're going to appease the core ghost of this place," Ayumi explained, looking over the two live faces. She was still scared of what becoming the core meant for her, if she was even taken in as it, but that thought had to be pushed aside. She couldn't let anything cause her to falter.

Yosuke wasn't sure what to make of the scene that had just occurred, but he did know that the two ghosts seemed more determined to give them hands-on help. He eyed Ayumi curiously, crossing his arms as his eye brow rose skeptically. "Didn't you say you two appeased her a long time ago? Then how are we supposed to do that again?" he asked curiously, showing proof that he had been listening to the downpour of information. He had prodded for it after all. It wouldn't make sense to ignore them when they were trying to help. Though, he still didn't get the whole basis of appeasement, especially if this ghost already got her eye and tongue back.

Ayumi looked at Yosuke as he posed the biggest question about all of this. Because, even if she failed becoming the core, the lack of a core for those bell tolls would give them the same chance they had missed out on. It all came back to Yuki and how she had been appeased previously, though. "The reason Yuki stayed after school and ended up being murdered was because she had a fight with her mother. I was thinking that there might be something there that could bring her peace," she said, brow furrowed thoughtfully. It was just... hard to figure out how they would help. After all, it wasn't like Yoshie and Sachiko, where the two were firmly in the school when everything happened.

Yosuke tried to appear as if he understood the idea, but in reality, he was still very much confused. How could they use that to appease her? None of them were her mom, and he doubted she'd take the comfort of a random person. Still, he didn't want to appear like he was the only one lost, and would rather wait for Mizuki to ask a question instead.

"How will that work, though?" Mizuki asked, trying not to sound so skeptical, but it sounded like this ghost had been appeased previously, but was just sucked back in. Didn't they lose their chance already? Not that she wanted to be fatalistic... She really did want to get home, so as long as the ghosts thought something up within reason, she'd go along with it.

"Maybe if we can find a paper and pen, along with a sample of her mom's handwriting, we can forge a note..." Ayumi explained with a tinge of uncertainty. It was the best thing she could think of, since no cat plushie intended for her would be in the school like with Sachiko. The sample of handwriting wouldn't be too hard, she'd guess. Hell, maybe it was even unnecessary. Handwriting wasn't something a child paid attention to, so maybe they just needed to fake it all.

Yoshiki considered the idea, and while it was shaky, it was their only option to get these two out. Though... what if the note backfired? What if Yuki knew it was a fake or just didn't care? She'd most certainly kill the two in a fit of rage, like what had happened with Mayu... He wasn't sure if he could handle it if such a thing happened. But it was the only road open to them at this point. He would wish that they hadn't done the easier way of appeasing Yuki, but then Satoshi, Naomi, and Yuka would've died here, and he definitely didn't want that. But... he also didn't want Satoshi's daughter dying here either. It was very nerve-wracking, but Ayumi had to feel the same, so he had to be confident in her. He had to give her the strength to push on, since that's all he was good for anymore.

"Is there any other way that may be more of a sure thing? A fake note is awfully risky," worried Mizuki, glancing aside in thought. None of them knew anything about the relationship. Maybe if a nickname or certain phrase was guaranteed to have been used by Yuki's mom, it would be safe, but spit-balling it seemed overly risky.

"Well, we gave her back her tongue, and that appeased her for a while. She's also missing her eye... but the chance of finding that is probably nearly impossible. Sachiko had done quite a number on it," Ayumi recalled, her free hand moving unconsciously to her own eye. She could still remember the young girl's pain. The eye had been stabbed so many times that it probably was just mush. Yoshikazu had been a good figure in Yuki's life, before the incident, but he had left with Sachiko and his family curse. "It might be worth looking at her shoe locker or closet for personal belongings..." she noted, since maybe something would be able to provide them with a better plan.

Yosuke looked between Ayumi and Mizuki, feeling that the plan she was formulating was probably better than standing around, waiting to die. As it had been explained to him, they had no option but to try to appease this 'Yuki'. Then, maybe, he and Mizuki could get out together, unharmed. He hadn't been chased or attacked himself besides Yoshiki, but he could tell by the guy that death's weren't kind in this place. "Alright... Then, where's the front entrance?" he asked Ayumi, since traditionally, the shoe lockers were right near the front doors. He hadn't explored much, but he guessed these two would have to know all the ins and outs of the place, since they had been here long enough to know Mizuki's parents from when they went to school.

Ayumi sincerely hoped her ideas led to something... She didn't know if she could ever forgive herself if Satoshi and Naomi's child died under her care. The prospect of helping Yuki was slim, but still worth it. That was unarguable, but if she was chosen as the core afterwards, she didn't know how she would do. She's talked to Yoshiki about it, but she tried to keep up a confident air. She doubted her ability to ever be able to handle the hatred and misery of this place, though. She looked at Yosuke, and began to turn around. "Follow me," she told him, pulling Yoshiki along. The front entrance was up the stairs, on the main floor. It wasn't difficult to get to...

Yoshiki followed along when he finally felt her pull. The front entrance... Even with his eyes, he probably couldn't remember where it was. When they had been here, alive, he easily lost track of what place was in which direction. He got better at it, but he still wasn't as good with directions as anyone else in his group of friends.

Yosuke followed a little behind Yoshiki, but made sure to keep an eye on both Mizuki and Ayumi. He didn't want to lose either of them when they were finally on the path to getting out of here unharmed and together.

* * *

The path was slightly different than the one's she remembered going through. All closed spaces had their subtle differences, though. Whether it be the holes in the floor boards or the corpses that lined the floor. Something in her gut began to hurt, her wound going hot. For a moment she was just confused, but then she was met with the image of her and Yoshiki's corpses. She froze, eyes widened. The decomposition had started to attack their bodies, it seemed... Heavenly Host's stream of time was warped, so she guessed that their bodies remained relatively untouched. There was a lot of the blood on the floor, since both of them had bled out from their respective wounds. Her grip on Yoshiki became vice-like as she moved closer to his side, trying to gain some comfort from his presence.

Mizuki was about to ask why they stopped, her eyes sticking to path ahead of them. She had already seen way too many corpses, and it made her sick to her stomach. Her eyes had to follow the ghost girl's gaze, though. Her breath caught, met with the bodies of the spirits that stood with them. "Oh... that's... you two, isn't it?" she asked, even if the question was obvious, it felt wrong to remain silent. Ayumi only gave a small hum of confirmation.

Yoshiki was soon met with burning pain in his eyes and arm. His head... was also throbbing to a degree where any other thoughts were only background noise. His eye squinted as his free hand lifted to his head, gripping it tightly. He soon got his answer as to why this was hurting. Their corpses... They were near them? It was strange they had never come in contact with them before, but the closed spaces had to be at blame for that. His legs felt weaker, but at the point they stopped at, he could feeling a tearing pain in his gut and leg. He doubled over a little, his grips on both her hand and his own head tightened as the abnormal pain increased. He coughed, blood spluttering beneath him.

Yosuke glanced between the ghosts and their bodies. It was weird to, in a sense, see doubles of them. But also... he noticed, since the bodies weren't too badly decomposed, that Yoshiki had more injuries on him than his ghost sustained. It was much more gruesome... but it could be assumed that ghosts only lived with what their body's could handle. After all, if everything after death also affected them, there would be skeletons walking around. Still, he seemed affected by the wounds that had probably been inflicted not too long after his death. His arm was actually missing instead of just partially off, nowhere in sight, and his stomach had been torn into. It made him sick, but also thankful he didn't look quite so bad as a ghost. Not that he looked like he was in good condition now, but at least he got off with less injuries than his body showed.

Ayumi looked at Yoshiki in alarm, his body being horribly affected by the presence of the corpse. Seeing how his body had actually been torn apart was making her sick, feeling useless that she had been dead and gone before he suffered that. That he went through that because he couldn't leave her. Guilt resurfaced fast and painfully, the fresh blood and pain dripping from her own wound was less noticeable. "Come on, let's go," she said with urgency in her tone. She tugged at Yoshiki's hand to begin to lead him away.

Mizuki frowned lightly at the ghost, the pain of their deaths seemed to be hitting them once again. Then Ayumi began to hurry them along, and a thought entered her mind. "Hey... can I take your IDs?" she asked, causing Ayumi to stop walking to turn around and look at her questioningly. "Uh, for my parents. I would guess they would appreciate it..." she tried to explain. The ghosts had seemed to been affected greatly by her appearance, so she guessed they had to have been close.

Ayumi stared, considering the idea. They had done that, hadn't they? Collected the IDs of the corpses they passed. "If they're still there, go ahead. Let's just hurry," she said, glad at the thought, but still desperate to move them.

Mizuki then froze, looking at the corpses uncomfortably. Getting the IDs seemed like a good idea, but now she was going to have to touch the dead bodies? She knew the ghost told her to hurry, but she was frozen, staring at the gray bodies.

Yosuke noticed the two's urgency, though, as expected, Mizuki was a little too squeamish to retrieve the IDs. Though he didn't really like it either, and it wasn't even beneficiary to him, he decided to help her out. He sighed, moving past her quickly and moved down next to the corpses. _'Agh, it stinks... but the quicker I get this done, the faster we can get out of here'_, he reminded himself, checking the front of their clothes. No doubt, there they were. Both plastic cards were somewhat stained with blood, but given the surface, it could probably be washed off. Shinozaki and Kishinuma... They were certainly the same grade and class as Mizuki's parents, as they had claimed. He stood and back away from the bodies, then handed the IDs to Mizuki. "Come on, we can't stand around," he reminded her, following after the two ghosts who had hurried a little further on.

Mizuki let out a held breath when Yosuke took it upon himself to retrieve the cards. She felt a little bad her pause probably made him do it, but he would be able to handle it better than her. She took the ID cards with a grateful nod, not being able to find it in herself to smile. The cards had some blood on them, but that wasn't as bad as rotting flesh. She put the cards in her skirt pocket, hoping she'd be able to give them to her mom and dad... "Right," she agreed, moving to follow the ghosts.

Ayumi could feel the relief hit her once they escaped from the spot they died. For a moment, the actual pain of death felt minuscule, before her body adjusted back to the constant burning. It was still better than it had been a moment ago, at least. When they headed up the stairs, she glanced behind them to make sure the two students were following them. After confirming they were there, she looked at Yoshiki, concern bubbling at how bad his condition had been. "Are you okay...?" she asked quietly. "Do you want us to rest?"

Yoshiki could feel the pain start to die down back to normal after a moment of Ayumi pulling him forward. He had probably been a little more of dead weight for that time, as his body wouldn't really obey any command to move. He had expected the ghosts to keep rummaging his body once he died, but he hadn't thought of the factor that he'd feel those injuries too on passing. When Ayumi stopped, he was thankful for the break, but didn't want to be dilly-dallying. He turned his head up, his eyes still squinted slightly at the lingering spike of pain, then gave a adamant shake of his head. _'We have to keep going. Any second wasted on me is another Satoshi's daughter is in danger'_, he thought, firmly believing they could keep going. After all, he may be in more pain, but he was already dead. Stopping, while his body wanted to do so, wouldn't actually benefit him or anyone else at all.

Ayumi hadn't expected him to take the break, so the shaking of his head was unsurprising. If it had just been the two of them, they probably would have settled down for a little bit since it wasn't like time was much of a presence to them anymore. They had two living people they needed to hurry with, though. A second could make all the difference. If they had been a second quicker, maybe they wouldn't have fallen down the hole. Or maybe she wouldn't have been stabbed through... It was pointless to consider such scenarios, so she pushed it from her mind. She glanced back at Mizuki and Yosuke, giving a small hum of acknowledgement to Yoshiki. She continued to lead them, pace quick but not overly so. She didn't want to exhaust anyone. Getting to the entrance was not difficult, luckily, since it would have been a pain if the floors had completely collapsed, and they had to go around. She turned to the two living. "Here we are," she said, pushing open the door.

Yosuke paused when Ayumi announced they had arrived. This place, like the rest of the school, was pretty torn down. Could something really be in any of the lockers? Normally, he wouldn't be so hopeful, but it's all they had to bank on. He walked in, glancing around and attempting to look for the little girl's name. No luck so far, but he had only been down about one aisle of lockers. He hoped against his normal pessimism that they could find something that would aid in their escape.

Mizuki began to search a row away from Yosuke, hoping to find this girl's locker quickly so they could go home. What was that little girl's name? Kanno Yuki? Her eyes scanned the small name tags that labeled the shoe lockers, some worn out to the point she had to stop and stare for a good minute to rule it out. When she passed a shoe locker that seemed to have the unusual fact of being shut, when normally the 'lockers' were open square spaces, she stalled. It had an unpleasant energy coming from it. The name tag under it confirmed her suspicions. "I found it!" she announced, now unsure of what to do. Although... if it was sealed... it must have something useful.

Yosuke became alert when Mizuki proclaimed to have found it. He jogged over, looking at the locker with a sort of intimidation. The air about it was pretty creepy, but that just meant it was more likely to have something, right? He glanced to Ayumi, giving a small nod to confirm that this was it, and that they probably needed her to check it out. After all, it felt sort of ominous to be around, so he didn't even want to try and open it. He didn't want Mizuki trying it either, so it was best to let the knowledgeable ghost handle it.

Ayumi came over to it, her expression growing grim at the barrier put up. It was good and bad wrapped up into one dangerous package. Obviously neither of the live children would go near it, which was good. If someone was going to mess with this stuff, it should be her. It wasn't like she could lose her life at this point. She hesitantly moved forward to grab it. The moment her fingers came in contact with the handle for the odd locker, a horrible shock went through her system. Her insides felt like they were trembling, and she didn't even have such things to worry about anymore. The wave of pain caused her to yell out in pain, releasing the locker and Yoshiki's hand to jerk back and grab her now throbbing head.

"Ayumi!?" Mizuki squeaked, eyes wide with worry at the ghost's pained reaction to the locker. This was going to be a problem if they couldn't get the locker opened. The objective was much better than aimless wandering, but if a ghost couldn't even break it open, how could they hope to? How did this stuff even work?

Yoshiki followed Ayumi closely, but was a little hesitant when a pressure became apparent through his headache. His face scrunched slightly from discomfort, but his determination to get these students out pushed him on. Though, then, a jolt went through his system as Ayumi's hand left his and he heard pained noises from her. What had happened? He hated being so clueless... He turned where he had heard Ayumi step, finding her shoulder and giving a worried look. He wanted to ask her what was wrong, or tell her he'd try to handle it, but he was unsure of what to do nor could he vocalize his concern.

Yosuke stared quietly, eyes wide and a little lost as to what happened to Ayumi. Could she not get it open? Then what were they supposed to do? And what did that thing do to Ayumi? Maybe it just repelled her...

Ayumi's head was throbbing like it had been put in a vice that was slowly winded closer and closer, until her head felt ready to split. The pain only yielded to the voices in her head. Yuki's voice... her yelling and her mother. The words didn't even make sense, but the anger pulsated out. Then the children's voices echoed in her head, the cries that came from them before they died. She recognized it from the vision Yuki had given her so long ago. The last thing to come through, was Yuki's desire to see her mom. She panted heavily, the painful emotions subsided. Would that happen to anyone else...? She didn't think her psychic blood would affect her in death, but it might alter her in some way.

"What happened?" Mizuki asked again. Ayumi's expression had relaxed a bit, so the pain must have subsided. She didn't know or understand ghosts... It just wasn't something that had an impact in her life until tonight.

Ayumi settled down from the pain, noting Yoshiki's hand on her shoulder. She knew he must be frustrated by always being left in the dark, literally and figuratively. She moved a hand on top of his and gave it a small pat of reassurance. "I'm not really sure... but I'm positive that the key to getting you two out is in there. It's just a matter of figuring out how to open it," she said slowly, eyes narrowing at the blocked off locker.

Yosuke watched as Ayumi recovered, then assured them this is what they needed. Ugh, of course... It was so tantalizingly close, but he could bet no one here knew how to even start looking for ways to get it open. He glanced to the door with a frown and narrowed eyes, his arms crossed. How could they get open something that was so protected, by means none of them understood? He let out a small, stressed sigh to relieve some of the pressure building in his head.

Yoshiki was glad Ayumi had recovered, and her explanation and pat on his hand made his frustration seep away slightly. With her hand over his, he flipped it over and resumed their tight grip, bringing their joined hands back down to their sides. He hated being, in a sense, a little kid, always needing her hand, but the small embarrassment was worth the comfort it gave him.

Ayumi looked thoughtfully at the locker, mind buzzing with ideas that were falling flat. She gave Yoshiki's hand a small squeeze when he returned their grip back to its typical form. Honestly, at this point, she needed the contact with him as well. She moved her thoughts back to figuring out how to break this spell... Maybe an offering of some sort? She wasn't exactly sure of what would work, and she wished so desperately she could talk to Hinoe. "I doubt brute force would work," she said with a weary glance at the chair leg in Yosuke's hand. He would probably be thrown back... Although, if anyone was doing anything with strength, she should be the one trying it. After all, being a ghost seemed to add onto her strength, oddly enough. Yoshiki, on the other hand, had such extensive wounds that his strength only seeped out when panicked and wild.

Yosuke glanced at his own weapon, but had known it probably wouldn't have worked. He then looked between them, his brow furrowed in frustration. "Then... how are we going to open it?" he asked, since he was certain everyone had that on their minds. It obviously hurt Ayumi too much to do it... It had some good defenses, that was for certain.

Yoshiki listened intently to what each person was saying, to absorb the situation more fully. He turned his head in the direction of where he remembered Ayumi being. That locker... he didn't want Ayumi getting hurt more than she had to. For the first time, he actually was the one to separate their hands, hesitantly coming closer to the locker. He could tell he was going in the right direction, as the pressure in his head kept building to the point it'd feel like it'd crack open. But, that was similar to how his headaches already were, so it didn't throw him off too much. He didn't want to be useless, or treated like he needed to be kept out of harm's way for some reason. He wanted to still be of use, especially to Ayumi, so he'd like to do this one thing, at the least. The second his hand touched the locker handle, there was a burning pain almost everywhere, but he wasn't one to give in so easily. _'Let me do this. I can do it Ayumi. Believe in me'_, he said sternly in his thoughts, mostly to keep the pain from overwhelming him. His other hand grasped the side too. Though it was weaker, due to being pulled halfway apart, the door gave in and wrenched open with a load clank. It felt like the bad energy all pressed on his head at once. His hands quickly released the locker, and he doubled over instantly. His hands grasped his head and screams escaped him, though they were sometimes interrupted by coughs that brought up blood. He felt like he was... drifting away. His body trembled and it continued like that for a moment, before he collapsed. His eye somehow looked more zoned out than normal, completely dark and unmoving.


	5. Chapter 5

Ayumi was stunned for a moment when Yoshiki's hand released hers, and for a jolting second, she thought a closed space might have taken him. But, no, he was still there. His hands on the locker, fighting through the barrier to rip the blockade away. The fact he manage to rip the locker open didn't hold her attention, though. She knew the negative effects she suffered just by touching it briefly. "Yoshiki!?" she asked in worry, but her voice was drowned out among his screams of agony. Blood splashed on the floor with a sickening sound mixed with his coughs. She was about to say his name once again, but barely a syllable made it out before his trembles led to collapse. She moved down beside him on the floor, vision going white with panic. "YOSHIKI! Yoshiki, snap out of it!" she yelled, hands on his shoulders. His eye, while it was fogged with blindness, always had a certain light to it. She could still make out Yoshiki in the scarred eye, but now it was gone. It was like he wasn't even in there anymore, and the thought crippled her. "Please don't leave me! I-I can't do any of this without you! Please don't die!" she pleaded through heavy tears, shaking him as her own body began to tremble. She knew they were dead already, but they weren't completely. The fact they had been with each other this long brought as much life to a ghost as one could hope. If he was gone, though, what would she even do? She couldn't leave him... She refused to.

Yosuke wasn't sure how to react to what had transpired. These ghosts... were doing a lot to help them out, huh? Must be because of Mizuki's parents... He glanced down at the two, one of them looking quite more lifeless than he had originally. He was admittedly a little worried, and didn't know how to move forward. They couldn't ignore their plight and just grab what was in the locker. After all, this was happening to them because they chose to help. It would be heartless to try and just push it off, so he had no idea what the next step would be. Since... despite Ayumi's desperate shaking, Yoshiki was still limp.

Ayumi's chest tightened more and more as the moments went by, and he showed no sign of recovery. _'No. No. Nononono,'_ she thought in horror, the idea of Yoshiki vanishing from her was too much. "Y-Yoshiki... P-please," she said before her voice broke into heavy sobs. She leaned her head down against him, hands grabbing the fabric of his jacket tightly. He couldn't be gone. He couldn't have just left her like that! She needed him... How could she even begin to believe she could be a different core than the others if he wasn't there?

Mizuki stared down at Ayumi and Yoshiki, eyebrows scrunched in worry for the two. They had to have been with each other for a long time if they died the same year her mom and dad were Juniors in high school. It seemed too cruel that the two would be yanked apart because of this. Her eyes flickered to the locker, curious what was inside but too hesitant to look. Whatever was in there had to be worth the potential loss of the spirit.

_'... It hurts... What happened? Ayumi... Ayumi, where are you...? Where?... It's so... quiet... I'm being pulled down. To... where? The pain... it's going away... but so is everything else. Can't... think... What's going on?... Am I just... disappearing?' __**YOSHIKI! Yoshiki, snap out of it!**__ 'Ayumi... Where...? Further away... I'm being pulled...' __**Please don't leave me! I-I can't do any of this without you!**__ 'I can't... No... No no no no! I don't want... to leave... I don't want to never see Ayumi again... Let go of me... Let go LET GO! Ayumi! AYUMI!'_

Yoshiki's eye widened slightly, the pain coming back, but also his ability to move. He grasped the back of Ayumi's head and hair lightly out of reflex, wheezing coughs escaping him after the hollow feeling was all gone. Though the pain was awful, he didn't want to be without Ayumi. Plus... That darkness he was being swallowed into... The emptiness it created in him... like he was just being completely erased. It was scarier. His coughs eventually died down to just heavy breaths, though his body was still trembling.

Ayumi's eyes snapped opened when she felt a hand in her hair. Yoshiki's wheezing coughs caused her tears to switch from pain to relief in a moment. He came back from wherever that painful aura sent him. "Yoshiki! Don't you dare ever do something like that again!" she yelled at him. She threw her arms around him in a hug and buried her head against the nook of his neck. She was so happy he was okay, and he was staying with her. She didn't even like to imagine what it would be like to be alone again. To spend the rest of eternity without him was too painful a future to handle. Her body trembled along with his, the passing panic leaving her breathless. "I'm so glad... you came back," she whispered, more tears slipping out.

Yoshiki shut his eye when he felt her hug him around the neck, actually gaining that warm feeling again for a moment. His hand moved down from her head to her back, giving a reassuring rub. His other hand had to hold him up, or else he'd be holding her even closer. With her tears, he felt a twinge of guilt for being reckless as usual, but he had managed it and came back. If that had happened to Ayumi... he didn't even want to think about that, actually. His head nuzzled against hers, and he found that he wanted to speak now more than ever. He wanted to apologize for scaring her, but remind her that he would always be with her, no matter what tried to force them apart. But he couldn't... he could only smile solemnly, and hold her closer.

Ayumi realized they had two people watching them, but she didn't care... She needed a moment to recover from this scare, and she wasn't ashamed of her relationship with Yoshiki. In life, she may have been, which made her feel a twinge of disappointment at some of her previous treatment towards him. Now, though, she treasured the bond they forged through all of this. She sniffled lightly, tears slowly wearing away at the returned contact from him. They'd stick together, no matter what. It was why she could handle becoming the new core, if her plan actually worked. She pulled back a little bit, pushing up the hair on Yoshiki's forehead. She kissed his forehead lightly before shifting and putting her forehead against his. It wasn't an action she had ever done before, but the risk of losing him made such an affectionate gesture necessary. "Please don't do anything like that again," she sighed, beginning to calm down from the fright.

Yoshiki was glad she was beginning to calm down, but he felt he could do a better job if he could speak. True, he wasn't the best with words, but it was better than none at all. He flinched slightly as her hand pushed up his bangs, a warmth burning in his stomach. His eye shut and he couldn't force back a smile when she leaned her forehead against his. This was the sort of contact he had dreamed about, and though their circumstances weren't the best, it still filled him with that one of a kind feeling. While still smiling, he gave a firm nod, though small as to not disturb their position. _'I promise... I'm so sorry I scared you, Ayumi... but I didn't want you doing it.'_

A small content sigh escaped Ayumi's lip when she felt Yoshiki's head move in a small nod. She was relieved he was agreeing, although she knew recklessness was in his nature. She had managed to forget that in their past years together, though. After all, there wasn't much to risk when one was a ghost, and he was incapable of assessing certain situations and reacting. Either way, she was glad he agreed to not go on scaring her like that again. She let them stay there for a moment longer before moving her head back. It was tempting to just stay like that for even longer, but they had something they needed to do. "You okay to walk?" she asked, not trying to stand up herself yet until knowing his situation. Whatever that locker did... she wasn't sure, but she hoped they didn't deal with anything like it again.

Yoshiki's eye opened when her head moved away. It was sad, but necessary. At her question, he paused for a moment to think it out. He still felt a bit weak and off, but he could make himself walk. So, after a short period of consideration, he nodded and pushed himself up. He wouldn't slow them down. Besides, rest still wouldn't help him very much, if at all, so their time was better spent carrying on with this plan of appeasement.

Yosuke had been quiet during the whole exchange, but their interactions got him to wondering. Sure, they had to be friends, but it was starting to look like they may have been together before Heavenly Host, or at least before dying. As in, a couple. He understood that they had probably been together for years and had no other company, but he wasn't used to seeing contact like that between just friends. He didn't know their feelings or full circumstance though, so he tried not to make any rash judgments. Not like it'd matter either way, but still.

Ayumi was glad that Yoshiki was able to get himself up, and she stood up briefly after him. Still, she was worried if that energy that hit him would have any long term effects... She was probably worrying for no reason, but the energy that had been around the locker was completely dispersed. She took Yoshiki's hand, looking at the two live children.

Mizuki had forced herself to look away during the whole exchange, since it had seemed private between the two. It was getting hard to ignore the fact they acted like lovers, but that made her too sad to put too much thought into. When they settled back down to normal, she approached the locker now that it seemed harmless. There were a pair of shoes, a lot of crinkled up paper, but what caught her attention were two white ribbons. She took them out delicately, the sink fabric soft to the touch. "Would these work...?" she asked, wondering if they could appease the angry spirit. It seemed much better than a fake note.

Ayumi peered at them, eyebrows raised. "They could... though, we should search the entire locker thoroughly. Appeasements are tricky and every bit of information brings us to a safer place," she advised. Yuki wore twin tails, so the two ribbons had to be hers. They could just be a frivolous item, but, given the protection, they had to mean something.

Yosuke felt it was safe to approach the locker after the whole exchange was over, though he mostly just stood to the side as Mizuki rummaged through the locker. He eyed the ribbons with a raised brow, unsure what it had to do with appeasing the girl. But, if Ayumi said it may work, than he was already feeling more hopeful than he had been. He peeked past Mizuki by leaning a bit to the side, examining how many scraps of paper there was in there. They could all be something useful... But staying in one place long enough to check them all sort of made him a little antsy.

Mizuki went into the locker, tossing the shoes aside, since there was little use to an old pair that she couldn't imagine the little ghost girl would have an attachment to. The papers ended up being little notes that looked like her friends and parents had written her. Little things about classes and being 'bffs' and how her mom loved her and hoped she had a good day. The entire thing was sweet, showing the girl must have been loved by those around her. Ayumi advised her to pocket them all, which Mizuki did after folding them all to fit in her skirt pocket without issue. The rest of the locker was empty, so she turned to Ayumi. "Now what?"

"We find a way to get into the basement. I would guess she's in the room where we had to deal with Sachiko..." Ayumi said with a reminiscing glint in her eyes. They had come so far to get to that point, and yet it proved fruitless for her and Yoshiki. The journey proved itself worth it, though, because of the young girl standing in front of them. Who knows, maybe Yuka even had a kid at this point. Either way, the three would get full lives...

"Alright... Uh, lead the way?" Mizuki asked with a half smile. She still didn't understand this school's layout, and it seemed to change whenever she began to get a grasp.

Ayumi nodded, ushering her free hand for them to follow her. She opened the hallway door, glancing aside. The way they'd have to go, it just occurred to her... "We're...going to have to go by our bodies again..." she said to Yoshiki, unconsciously holding his hand tighter. "Can you... handle that?" After what he went through... she was scared it was damaging to his very soul. How much more could he be pushed like that before disappearing for good?

Yoshiki was thankful the locker proved pretty beneficial to their plan. He hoped it worked... He wasn't sure what he and Ayumi would do if they failed to get these two out. He had to remain positive, so he could continue pushing forward, like when he had been alive. Though he and the person he had been fighting for didn't make it, their efforts had resulted in the survival of three of their friends, and that was enough to call it worth it. He still wouldn't let himself rest, so when Ayumi brought up the fact of their bodies, he didn't hesitate in giving a nod. More pain was something he could bare if it saved his best friend's daughter.

Ayumi stared at Yoshiki, brow furrowing in worry. She really wanted to protect him from anymore pain... but this was something that ultimately had to be done. She released a shaky sigh. "Okay," she said in understanding. They were already dead... damage could only do so much. They just had to get those two home. She centered herself before beginning to lead the group again.

Mizuki remained silent, watching Ayumi ask Yoshiki's condition on going back. She seemed to dote on him, and it was sorta sweet. Normally it was the girls being protected and led around. Though, his movement toward the locker seemed to balance the relationship out. They had each other's back, but it must be something that just happened when they're your companion for so long. Passing by the bodies was just as painful for the ghost's as the first time, she had to guess. Their wounds and reactions seemed the same or worse off, and it made the entire pace unyielding. They didn't pause to admire the corpse this time, but she found her eyes examining the bodies, and then the ghosts. Once sufficiently passed the corpses, her morbid curiosity leaked forward. It seemed being around her mother's work all the time when she was younger somewhat numbed part of her reaction to death and wounds... slightly. "So... you died from being impaled?" she asked quietly, a little nervous about the possible reaction.

Ayumi glanced back at the question. Right. Walking by the corpses would incite some questions this time, she guessed. "Yeah... Yoshiki pulled my body off the jagged wood I fell on. I bled out from there," she explained casually, as if someone had just asked her her birthday. That part of the story wasn't what got her. It was their hopeless attempt to still get out, the ringing bell, and Yoshiki's decision to lay with her as she died that wrung emotions out.

"And he died from dehydration and the wounds?" Mizuki asked, glad the girl didn't get offended.

Ayumi stopped walking, turning around to look at her. "What?" she asked sharply, sharper than she had intended. It was just... no, the ghosts had gotten to Yoshiki.

Yoshiki was just recovering from the intensified pain when he heard Mizuki ask about Ayumi's death. He tensed slightly at the Ayumi's mention of taking her off the plank. That had been extremely hard for him... to cause her all that pain. To hear her agonizing screams and know he was the one essentially causing it. Though, then, Mizuki changed the subject to his death, and the added information made him extremely anxious. He stopped about one step ahead of Ayumi, and at her sharp question, his hand tightened nervously around her's. He glanced back, trying to focus his gaze on where he assumed Mizuki to be, hoping she wouldn't say anymore. _'Ayumi doesn't need to know. It doesn't matter. She can't find out, or else... she may blame herself needlessly. I don't want her to bare more pain I can't remedy in this condition...'_ he mentally pleaded, though he could only depend on his sightless eye to communicate his desires. Though, since Mizuki didn't know how to read his expressions like Ayumi did, he was scared she wouldn't understand, or maybe even ignore him.

Mizuki remained clueless to Yoshiki's signs, her eyes focused on Ayumi. She was surprised she was so shocked by the information. Although, shock may not be the best word. Perhaps... freaked out was better. Which was odd. Wouldn't she know the details? Well, it was hard to look at his ghost form and make out the signs. The only reason she could figure it out was a textbook she had read not too long ago had laid out the symptoms. "He was dehydrated when he died... I, uh, can tell his eyes... eye was sunken in, and his skin-"

"B-but..." Ayumi said, losing control of her voice. She turned to look at Yoshiki, her stomach twisting violently. She had always figured... the ghosts got to him shortly after her death. But dehydration was a slow, painful process... "How long does that take?" she asked, lacking the knowledge to form a timeline in her head, but she wanted to know.

"M-maybe a week... give or take," Mizuki said with uncertainty. She wasn't a professional, and she didn't get much of a look. The information seemed to knock the ghost back, the expression on her face telling Mizuki she hadn't been aware of Yoshiki's death. She regretted saying anything, suddenly.

Ayumi's eyes were wide, panicked with the information sinking into her head. A week? A week of rotting in this hellhole? Laying with her body? His death had been that slow? That grating? The shock hit her like a hammer over the head, guilt resurfacing with violent accuracy. He was there because of her. He died slowly because of her condition and death. Her limbs suddenly felt too weak, her hand releasing Yoshiki's. She had failed him so gravely. She should have found a way to convince him to leave her... He lost everything slowly and painfully because of her...

Yoshiki listened worriedly to the developing conversation, his eye wide with panic. His head turned to Ayumi when her hand released his, a new fear bursting in his chest. His hand quickly relocated her arm, then slid down to tightly grasp her hand. He wanted to say something, anything! Like how it was his choice, and that he wouldn't change it. It wasn't her fault. There was also the fact being around her was better to him emotionally than being without her. All these thoughts were screaming in his head, but all he could do on the outside was look desperately at her with small shakes of his head. It was so frustrating to see her tormenting herself over something like this, and he could do absolutely nothing about it.

Ayumi's hand laid limp in his hand, thoughts swirling in a black cloud. All she could imagine was the hours moving by in a crawl. Yoshiki by himself, with only her corpse as company. She was long gone, but he survived days by himself. The school would have let him leave if only he had made a run for it. It wasn't like anything was gained by his sacrifice... a cozier death didn't stop her pain. It only added to his. She looked at him slowly, taking in his features and the mauling done to him. Torn and ripped... gutted and mauled. He suffered so much, for no gain. She noticed, still caught in a daze, that his head was shaking lightly. No? Is he trying to say he wasn't dehydrated before death? Although, that had to be a lie... "I still don't understand you... not even after all this time," she whispered, voice tightened with the urge to cry. Years together, and she was as clueless as she had been in life.

Yoshiki kept staring, though it felt like his heart sank at her answer. Well, how could she? He couldn't communicate anything he wanted to, not to mention his feelings for her didn't make much sense to her in the first place. His gaze turned to the ground somewhat solemnly, though his hand didn't let go, rather it tightened. After a moment, his gaze returned to her, and though it was somewhat off, there was a dim, determined glint in his eye. _'Like I said before... does it really matter to be able to understand? You should just know... You should be able to feel that I don't blame you. Not at all. I wish you didn't feel this way, and I wish I could tell you this better... but just trust my feelings, okay? I've never been angry with you, because I chose to stay. And I chose to stay... because I'd rather die with you than live without you knowing the suffering you faced alone. Being with you was more important than saving my own skin... and I have no shame in feeling that way, because it was a purely honest decision. I don't regret it, even now. Plus, I promised myself I'd protect you... something I couldn't fail and still rise emotionally stable. Please don't add this to your guilt, Ayumi, because no one is blaming you for anything.'_

Ayumi stared at him, feeling his grip on her hand tighten. There was a small spark in his eyes, and she knew he must not like how she was reacting. She remembered before her death well... His insistence that it was his choice to choose death with her, rather than have a life without. She couldn't find comfort in it, because it wasn't what was best for him. It couldn't be. Her hand gripped his back lightly, eyes cast down in sorrow. She couldn't feel better. She couldn't know what he wanted to say or think, and it was her fault. She should have been made to walk these halls alone. His death was a meaningless one... one that could be avoided. "We... should keep moving," she said, realizing this emotional clash inside of her was slowing them down. They had to get to Yuki, and maybe she could fix this place. Give Yoshiki the release he has deserved for so long.

Yoshiki remained quiet, feeling his own spirit being dragged down. He could tell it in her tone that she didn't understand what he was trying to convey. Even if she did, she'd probably still insist it was all her fault. It frustrated him and bogged down his mind with sorrow at her mental condition. He couldn't argue that... they needed to hurry along, but he was somewhat reluctant to just let her keep on that emotional path she was on. His grip tightened further as he quietly looked away, now seemingly more solemn in demeanor. His strength was fully used on her hand, but it still wasn't much and made his hand tremble lightly against hers. The stress on his muscles relieved some tension of his frustration, though, so he didn't ease up.

Ayumi felt his abnormally tight grip continue with its strength. She really wished there was someway for him to regain his voice... Even if she couldn't understand him well from his words, it was still easier than hand-holding and nods or shakes. Everything had to be yes or no... something he could agree with or disagree with. And even then, she didn't know and couldn't understand his reasoning. Despite all this time... they were no closer than they had been in life. It was his attachment that got him stuck here in the first place. To die slowly of dehydration, and then have ghosts come around and rip him apart... it was too cruel.

Mizuki looked aside, face pale when she deeply regretted speaking up. It had just been too quiet, though. She cursed herself for the unnecessary curiosity of things that should have stayed buried. Ayumi had begun to move, though, so she chose to quietly follow.

Yosuke wasn't surprised Mizuki's morbid curiosity had began to show, but what ensued was sort of an awkward situation to be caught in. He paused when the other two ghosts stopped and Ayumi seemed to grow depressed with the new knowledge. Maybe Mizuki should of kept her questions to herself... Their movement started again, but he could tell there was a shift in the atmosphere. He just... hoped it didn't result in anything bad in the long run.

Ayumi wasn't sure why the knowledge was affecting her so much. She knew he had died because of her either way. The length of time he had to suffer as a human was too much to bear. She couldn't grasp why he didn't hate her, like any other person would grow to do in this situation. In some ways she was glad they never encountered the others, because she was afraid of being blamed for the hardships. It wasn't like anyone else would have brought out the charm. The walk continued in silence, and Ayumi tried to concentrate on the mission. It was hard, though, when her mind kept slipping into dark spots. The basement was dark with long hallways, not many rooms existed down here. Ayumi would avoid the kill room and the place where the incinerator let out, since the death-filled rooms did not need to be stopped in. They got to large rooms where only certain lengths of floor could be stepped on, or else the trap door would open and send them down into a pit. A little ways from where Sachiko's room was, and Yuki probably stayed, Ayumi turned to the two. "Do you have any questions before we go in?" Her insides felt tight with worry. This was Satoshi and Naomi's daughter's life at risk, but it was the only chance to get them out. It was also a chance of her being able to become the core...

Yosuke hated basements, and this was definitely no exception. As they passed some doors, he could smell an overwhelming scent of death. He was thankful they didn't have to go in those, but the awareness of how many people died still made his gut twist up. Once they were past the nerve-wracking traps, his attention turned to Ayumi. He thought it over, and while he didn't fully understand, he knew ghosts and stuff shouldn't really be questioned. They just generally made no sense, so all he had to focus on was the task at hand, which was pretty straight-forward. He gave her a head shake, his hands relaxed in his pockets.

"What happens if it goes bad?" Mizuki asked nervously, hoping there was some exit strategy. She knew she would have to present the objects to the ghost, but beyond that she wasn't so sure on how to handle this.

"We're going to have to play it by ear. Yuki is going to be unpredictable... but I think she'll be easier to get to than Sachiko had been," Ayumi responded with a small frown. She would do whatever it took to get these two out of here, but planning could only go so far when dealing with things of this nature. Hell, she almost wanted to leave Yoshiki outside the door in case she ended up having to shield Mizuki and Yosuke. That wouldn't end well, even if he knew where she was, he might lose it if she took too long. Plus, she couldn't imagine him agreeing with staying back. She watched Mizuki give a tiny nod, a look of nervousness and determination in her eyes. She could easily make out her parents in the expression. "Alright, let's go," she said finally, voice firm before she led them to the door. The dark energy was rotten, and it made her nervous about the likelihood of anyone being able to contain and control such hatred. She paused for a moment before opening the door and entering it.

Yosuke of course felt uneasy, but raring to go at the same time. They were close to getting out... If this worked, they could go home and forget about this place. So, when it was time to go in, he didn't hesitate. He followed closely behind Mizuki, keeping vigilant of the dark room. He knew it had to smell like blood and death, but he strangely didn't catch any scent... It was horrible if your situation allowed you to get a little accustomed to the smell of death.


	6. Chapter 6

Memories were quickly drudged up by the room, but it was obvious a different power was at work. On the bright side, Yuki didn't have a Yoshikazu under her command, since he could easily crush all of them with the snap of a finger. Still, the ghost children may have stuck together... She wasn't so sure how Yuki used her power, since Ayumi spent a good amount of time trying to avoid violent ghosts and find kids to help. "Yuki!" Ayumi called out. She could see Mizuki trembling lightly from the corner of her eye, so she tried to wrangle the situation quickly.

"STAY AWAY," Yuki's voice screamed, the violation of those coming to her place of death... where she had been murdered. It was wrong. She appeared with a gust, her good eye wide with madness. Her clothes were drenched in red, as suited as the school had made her the new spirit in red.

Mizuki could feel Ayumi look at her expectantly. The items felt heavy in her pocket, and the wild look and awful energy caused her to stall. She had been pretty well off in this place... She hadn't been this close to a violent spirit. Her hand trembled as it reached to grab the stack of papers and ribbons they collected.

Yosuke didn't like the vibe of this room. He started to doubt his readiness, but before he could think twice over his choices, Ayumi yelled out the name of the little girl ghost. She appeared quickly, and he wasn't able to stop himself from jumping a little at her scream. Her shirt and skirt were red, and her eye held the same hollowness that Yoshiki's did. Well, for the most part... Her's looked a little more ravaged, but they both were missing the whole eye one way or another. Once he got past his own shock a little, his eyes glanced to Mizuki, and he began to worry a little. She was obviously scared... which he could understand, since he was too. But he was concerned that she may not be able to handle this.

Mizuki's heart was racing wildly, thinking of the ways the ghost girl could kill her if she did this wrong. She wasn't so sure she was good enough with spirits to successfully do this. After all, she just deeply upset the two ghosts going out of their way for them. Her hand was trembling to the point she had an issue getting a grip on the items. "Y-Yuki," she said, hoping that speaking would find some relief for her nerves. The young ghost girl's one-eyed gaze moved to her, resulting in her shakes worsening. She tried to gather her voice, but it became difficult to reach. Yuki's gaze narrowed, and she let out an ear-piercing scream that made Mizuki flinch. When she opened her eyes from the yell, there was suddenly two other ghost kids in the room. One without the top of her head, and a little boy with a violent craze in his eyes. Suddenly, scissors were being aimed at her, and her body froze at it prepared for the impact.

Yosuke flinched at the scream, his hands going instinctively to his ears. He was confused on why the action occurred, but as it passed and his eyes opened again, he found the answer. She had called two other kids, who looked about her age. He didn't have much time to comprehend what was going on when the boy came at Mizuki with a pair of large, bloodied scissors. They must be attacking who's threatening Yuki... Without thinking much, he moved forward quickly and blocked the stab. He slightly regretted the involuntary action when the burning pain of metal stabbing into his arm became fully registered. He choked back shouts of pain, instead trying to gain the upper hand. Mizuki needed to appease Yuki, so he needed to distract the children. His other hand grabbed the scissors, attempting to hold them in place as the boy tried to rip them out for another go. It was a back of forth of pulling out and pushing in the blades, which was very agonizing, but this was for their freedom. Though then, the other girl caught him off guard and tackled into him. He grunted when he hit the floor on his side. It was both a good and bad thing that he had landed on the scissors, pressing them deeper into his arm. At least that way, the boy would have even worse luck of pulling them out. Well, he thought that way until the girl grabbed his other arm in two separate places, attempting to pull his arm apart. His stretching muscles were giving painful complaints to the strain, but his grip on the scissors didn't give. _'C'mon Mochida! Kick it in gear, before she rips my goddamn arm off!'_ he ranted in his hand as his teeth ground together.

Mizuki stared in horror when Yosuke intercepted the attack and ended up wrangling with the two spirits Yuki called. The ghost had stabbed him! The little girl was beginning to yank at his arm as well, and the danger they were in sent alarm bells into her head. This time the two of them had to take this Heavenly Host place into their own hands. She rushed over to Yuki, fear becoming second to survival and self-preservation. "Please stop this!" Mizuki said pulling the items out. She grabbed Yuki's cold hand and shoved the papers and ribbon into them. "You had people who love you and want you to be able to move on!" she said forcefully. The wild edge in Yuki's eyes seemed to fade at the sight of the ribbon and notes. She recognized all of it, which meant she could remember the better times. When the girl seemed to be calm, Mizuki took the ribbons and took it upon herself to tie them into the young girl's twintails. "You don't have to suffer," she said quietly.

Yuki blinked slowly, her good eye softening a little when the ribbons were tied into her hair. She hadn't worn them that day because she had been so mad at her mom, and they had been a gift earlier that year from her. Her hand unraveled some of the notes, remembering her parents and old friends with tears forming in her eyes. Her hand tightened around the paper, clutching it to her chest. She smiled lightly, a friendliness forming in her appearance. "Thank you," she said quietly, the red in her clothes giving way to the same white as the ribbons were.

Yosuke couldn't pay attention to anything but the struggle with the two ghosts, who were very strong for little kids. He got into fights a lot and worked out pretty often, so for him to be having trouble with toddlers was a pretty big deal. But then, he noticed the atmosphere got easier to bear, and the other two children paused and were looking at Yuki. Had Mizuki done it, then?

Yoshiki was more distressed since he couldn't fully comprehend the situation. There was screaming, shuffling around, but as long as Ayumi didn't freak out he'd keep calm too. Then, the bad atmosphere... the pressure pressing down on him lifted. He heard Yuki, but her voice was more similar to when he and Ayumi had appeased her the first time. Then had it worked? Good... that meant, as long as the two got out before the bells stopped, they could get home. Regardless if Ayumi's plan as taking over the core worked or failed, they had at least succeeded in helping Satoshi and Naomi's daughter get out. They had time for sure to get to the entrance of the school, especially since there was only the two of them.

Mizuki was stunned and very satisfied that she had somehow managed to do it. Yuki was smiling as if the pain of death was lifted off of her, and the violent atmosphere all but vanished. Then Yuki disappeared in a white flash, leaving Mizuki confused when they still stood in the haunted school. The ground began to shake violently under her feet, almost making her lose balance until she re-positioned her feet to hold her weight. "Now what!?" she asked in panic to Ayumi.

Ayumi was pleased that the two had managed the appeasement, but the fear of what may happen once the school picked a new core weighed heavily on her. She may not have much more time to think. "The bridge between this building and the annex, you have to go to it and jump over the fence into the woods," she recalled what they had been told. The two should be fine getting there in time. "We'll come with you, but if we get separated or anything, keep going. The portal won't work for us, so just concentrate on getting yourself back," she advised, not wanting to hold back anymore people in case something went wrong.

Mizuki nodded at the instructions, then looked back to Yosuke and flinched. "Komatsu, are you okay!?" she asked in urgency, the blood making her stomach churn a bit.

Yosuke was just getting up to sit when the shaking of the building almost made him topple over again. The other two ghosts had disappeared to somewhere else he guessed, but now he had to deal with the scissors. First he listened to Ayumi's instructions, then to Mizuki. her nodded to her, his other hand leaving the scissors to push himself up to stand. "Yeah yeah... Come on, we gotta go!" he said with urgency. Although, he didn't want to run with the weapon still sticking out. He took in a deep breath and held it as his hand went back to the handles of the scissors. _'Go on, you're on a time limit! You can't get stuck here!'_ he scolded himself, which eventually led to him pulling out the scissors. His hand immediately abandoned the handles, the blades clattering upon the floor. To suppress his yells, he had bitten down on his lip, to the point of it bleeding. His adrenaline was pumping, though, so the pain didn't slow him down as he began to run, his hand now clamped tightly over his wound to slow the bleeding.

Mizuki was unconvinced by Yosuke's tough guy act, but they wouldn't be able to do anything about his wound until they got back. She cringed, looking aside when he ripped the scissors from his arm. Ugh, she was glad that little boy hadn't been able to stab her with them... She'd have to thank Yosuke some time for taking the hit. She gave a tiny nod before quickly following his lead and beginning to run.

Ayumi followed the two, watching them with alertness. The fact they were at this point was good, but it still wasn't a sure thing. Boy, did she know that as a fact. She needed to make sure Mizuki and Yosuke got home... if she could do anything before she potentially lost her mind, it was this. She kjept on their track, the run bringing back her memories in vivid detail.

Yosuke lagged a little to let Mizuki run in front, since his directions weren't the best and he couldn't really remember the way they had come from. His hand was still grasped tightly on his wound, and though he could feel the blood seeping from between his fingers, he felt it was better this way than not having any pressure on it at all. Even with his dwindling strength, he kept on decently at a good pace with Mizuki.

Yoshiki followed by the pull of Ayumi's hand, chest tight with anxiety. They were in the home stretch, but anything could still go wrong. Both he and Ayumi knew that fact much too well. But these two had to make it out. There was no exception.

The bell tolled. Ayumi's head hurt, a vice tightening painfully around it. The memories were too easy to recall. The hurried run, the breaking floor, the agonizing wake to the the wood through her body... She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, trying to shake the thoughts in favor of concentrating on the two. The ground's shaking made it hard to rush on ahead too quickly, but the pace was good.

Mizuki pushed the door open, running out onto the bridge of the two buildings. The sound of rain and thunder combined overhead. The run had taken her breath, making it hard to focus on anything. The bell had made her pick up her pace as fast as she could manage, but it seemed worth it. She looked over at the two ghosts, suddenly feeling awful about their departure. "Is there anything we can do for you two?" she asked, even though she knew they had to hurry.

Ayumi stopped running when they got outside and looked at Mizuki when she questioned her. Hah, it was a very sweet thought. She gave a small, solemn smile. "Just get home to your parents," she answered truthfully. That they were able to protect Satoshi and Naomi's kid... it was an honor. Something that made her proud and gave some meaning to all of this.

Yosuke was thankful once they pushed past the double doors, and rain could be heard. It was relieving, but Mizuki paused to see about the ghosts' well beings. Sometimes she was too sympathetic, but he guessed this also had to do with these ghosts not being total strangers. Well, in a family-related sense. At Ayumi's words, he gave a small nod and took Mizuki's wrist with his hand that wasn't grasping his arm. "You heard 'er, Mochida. Come on, get moving," he reminded her, pulling her in the direction of the railing. He then let go of her and used that hand to push himself over the railing. He made a dash for the forest, but stopped near the edge to look back at Mizuki. He had to make sure she came along instead of being hesitant.

Mizuki's eyes were on Ayumi and Yoshiki, but her legs followed where Yosuke pulled her before he climbed over the fence. She paused, heart aching for the two. Their existence seemed awful, yet they kept their minds enough to help her. "Thank you," she said. When Ayumi gave a nod of understanding, she finally turned her back on them and the school. She walked up to Yosuke, before making their way out of the school.

Ayumi watched the two disappear in the thickets of the forest. They'd get home, and Mizuki would be able to talk to her parents about them. She's sure the two were devastated that they had lost two more companions at that point in their journey. The bell tolled overhead loudly, ringing in her ears. "This... may be it," she said quietly, chest tight. How likely was it she would become core? Well, considerably. The chance of her keeping her sanity? Extremely slim.

Yoshiki listened to the bell and rain as they stood. A flood of relief came over him when he was certain they had saved the two. He was happy they had at least accomplished that. At Ayumi's voice, though, a new dread was building in his stomach. If she couldn't keep her sanity, he'd... lose her forever. His hand had loosened throughout their run, but now it was regaining tightness. It was scary of course, but if he didn't believe in her, who would? She needed the assurance that he was backing her on this, much like she had with him at school. But... at the chance it wouldn't work, he wanted to do something. He stepped over a few steps to where, judging by the angle of her hand, he was in front of her. He faced her, his other hand rising to find her forehead. Once it landed on the top of her head, it went down slightly to then move into her bangs to behind her ear. He stepped closer and leaned in, using his hand's position to judge where her features were. His eye closed and his lips pressed against hers. He was aware she didn't share his feelings, nor were they in any condition to be romantic, but he couldn't let that last bell ring without doing this, in case it didn't end up how they planned. In case she was gone from him for eternity, and he permanently lost his mind.

Ayumi's scared thoughts were pushed aside for a moment when she watched Yoshiki in confusion adjust himself towards her. She stood still, curious, when his hand found her forehead before moving tucking her hair behind her ear. She felt warm and a little embarrassed about the sudden affection. They hugged and held hands, but besides her brief kiss on his forehead earlier, none of the contact had this different sort of nature to it. Alarm bells went off in her head when he moved in, his lips held against hers. The warmth increased ten-folds, along with the embarrassment. She had never kissed anyone before, but she found herself melting into the touch. She leaned in, returning the contact. Her hands came to life, one moving behind his neck and up into his hair while the other wrapped around him. This wasn't anything she would have ever thought she'd do... When Yoshiki had revealed his feelings through his anger that night so many years ago, she thought he was full of it. She couldn't deny the sincerity of his feelings since he died with her.

Yoshiki could finally feel the warmth past the nervousness when she returned the kiss. Her hand had abandoned his, but he held no argument since this closeness was preferred. Now free, his arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her against him. He had never felt such an overwhelming sense of affection, with the kiss, arm around her, her fingers in his hair... It was addicting, but it held solemn undertones that were impossible to forget. Worst case scenario was that this plan would fail, and they'd be stuck here forever without each other. But even in the best outcome, where Ayumi conquered the madness of Heavenly host and destroyed it, odds were they still wouldn't get to be together like this. They'd simply find peace... So, no matter what happened, this was their only chance to be together in this sense. After a moment, when he felt the last bell would be ringing soon, his head pulled away and he stared quietly. He'd like to say some endearing last words, or his best attempt at something like that, but those options weren't available to him. He could only look in her general location and give off a somewhat sad smile.

Ayumi had a fear strike her when he pulled away, even though she knew they couldn't stay like this forever. She almost hoped she'd be passed over in favor of a different core... She'd rather be like this with Yoshiki than any of the other options that awaited her. She wasn't ready to disappear, even if it was peaceful... she'd be alone. Or, she'd lose her mind and become a murderer, which ultimately left Yoshiki to the same fate. It was hard to hold back tears, especially when she observed the sad smile on Yoshiki's face. A pain struck her chest, unlike anything she had experienced before. It was rougher and more unforgiving than the jagged wood that impaled her. She gasped painfully, her hands moving to grab onto Yoshiki's jacket tightly. _'Dammit, I guess it is me,'_ she realized, panting lightly. "T-thanks for everything, Yoshiki. I could have never made it through this as long as I have without you," she choked out, not sure what would happen at her turn. She didn't want to leave him, but she could already feel it. The pain overflowing and the anger was an unforgivable inferno in her chest. "I... I love you," she said quietly, voice tight as she fought to maintain control. It probably didn't have to be said, but it was something she wanted to before she might leave. With their last goodbye, she couldn't have told him such a thing because it would have been a lie. He was fully in her heart, now, and she regretted how long it took her to realize who he was.

Yoshiki's expression flickered into worry at her gasp, and tightened grasp on his jacket. His hand in her hair moved to be around her too as a form of comfort, though it probably didn't take away the pain of whatever was ailing her. It was... probably the hatred and torment of Heavenly Host. So, it was nearing time... His chest was extremely tight, but he forced back on a smile at her words. Well, it was somewhat genuine, because he was glad he had helped her come this far. In fact, if she wanted a reason for their deaths, this would be the perfect example. To get anything done, they had to be together, and it was no different in death. So his wasn't meaningless, because he truly was needed by her side for this all to come to fruition. His eye widened slightly at her confession, not really expecting her to say it, or it be as serious as his own. His eye narrowed and brow furrowed as tears unexpectedly sprung to his eye. He held her close again and leaned his forehead against her's, the tears slipping out. _'I love you too... so much... and I believe you can do this. I'll always believe in you'_, he thought firmly, even if he couldn't communicate his belief and love in her.

Ayumi squeezed her eyes shut when she felt his forehead make contact with hers. She knew he loved her, and she would never doubt it. She still yearned to hear his voice again, though. Something she hadn't cared about until the end of her life, when his song had lulled her into death. She held onto him tightly, as if he could anchor her down from whatever Heavenly Host tried to make her into. Her body felt so much pain, though. As if the school was letting her feel the pain of each student in an agony-filled rush. She couldn't suppress screams of pain. Her entire body was burning, resulting in her knees giving in under the pressure. She didn't want to let the school rid her of her mind, especially after this long. She found herself slipping into thoughtlessness when the pain overrode everything else inside of her.

Yoshiki squeezed his eye shut, trying to bear with the screams that threw his mind back to the time he had caused her such pain. Though, his eye snapped back open when he felt her weight fall onto him, and he couldn't help but follow her down instead of completely support her. He held his breath, wondering what the outcome would be. He shifted her body so that her head lay against his chest as he held her closer. His chest was extremely tight, but as he thought back, he guessed he could do something to occupy his mind. Make him think that he could actually do something that may turn the tide. He took a deep breath and pressed his lips together, so he could hum the song instead of singing it. It was the first time he had used his voice from what he remembered, and even though it made the place his tongue had been detached throb with abnormal pain, he continued humming the singing parts and even the instrument parts.

Ayumi settled against his chest, her mind flashing in and out of the current situation. Was she losing her mind? Her breathing was ragged and uncontrolled. She yearned for just the pain of being skewered, because now it felt like her entire body was bleeding and ragged when it wasn't so. Her screams were unfiltered, and she was unable to hold them back until she was able to register something else. She bit the screams back into whimpers, which made her chest heavier, but the sound was soothing. It was the closest she'd get to hearing his voice again, and the way they found themselves was almost identical to before her death. Except, she had a hand in their future now. Tears flooded out heavily. Fighting the pain wasn't easy, but what she could do was counter the anger. She refused to give in to the anger that cycled this place through. The hatred this place breeds needed to be stopped for the sake of their friends and all the other spirits that got pulled into such a rotten situation. She needed to free them all. The ground quivered under them at the thought. She released a shaky gasp and clutched onto Yoshiki. She tried to concentrate on the song... One he sang to her out of love and the desire to comfort her. She didn't want to fail him either. She wouldn't let herself.

Yoshiki paid no mind to the shaking, her screams, nothing. He only focused on the song that had helped her pass somewhat peacefully. The song that he depended on to comfort her when he didn't have the words, or was not able to use them. Even if the song ended, the melody was constructed in such a way that it was still fluid to just restart at the beginning, so he kept his voice in a constant hum. Her held her as close as he could, keeping his belief and hope strong so that maybe she could benefit from his support.

The pain continued to course through her like venom poisoning her blood. Ayumi couldn't even muster screams or whimpers, she could only pant heavily as it refused to stop. Could she even do this? What would happen if she was a sane core...? She had given so little thought to this plan, but there was nothing in it she could have figured out beforehand. She nuzzled against Yoshiki, trying to concentrate on his warmth as opposed to the lava moving through her veins. _'Listen to the song,'_ she told herself, having to remind herself where to focus. Instead of thinking of her pain, she focused on the lyrics she could still remember him singing to her. _'Just close your eyes, the sun is going down, you'll be alright, no one can hurt you now, come morning light... You and I'll be... safe... and sound...'_ Ayumi blinked slowly, something subsiding inside of her. The pain... it hadn't vanished, but it was constrained. The ground of Heavenly Host began to tremble once again, as if it didn't know how to deal with her as a core.

Ayumi laid still against Yoshiki, unsure what this meant. Had she accomplished in part of the plan? Would she be able to destroy Heavenly Host from the inside out... or would the school try to flush her out quickly? She had no clue. The rumbling underneath them told her she had succeeded in doing something. Whether it was for good or bad would reveal itself. She took a few deep breaths, as if testing if the pain would come back in a flash. It was contained, though. She moved slightly, staying against Yoshiki but sitting up. "Yoshiki, I feel... okay. I think," she said lightly, her tone giving away her uncertainty in absorbing all of this.

Just when Ayumi began to speak, Yoshiki stopped the song quite abruptly. His eye opened and looked in her direction, wondering what she meant. Did she mean to say... that the pain had died down? She certainly wasn't screaming, or on the brink of doing so, anymore. But what did that mean for them? For Heavenly Host? Would they actually succeed in this endeavor, or would it end up a failure? It was hard to tell... He cocked his head to the side in confusion, prompting her to tell him something more, if she could.

Ayumi noticed the cock of his head, questioning her to go on. It was hard to explain anything when she didn't know herself. "The pain is okay. It doesn't feel good or nonexistent, but it's manageable. I don't know what this means, though... I don't know if I'm the core or if the school passed me over or something," she said, becoming frustrated by how little she understood. Her clothes were as they always had been, no more red or white as the young girls had been conveniently color coded. "I don't even know how I can test this..." she frowned, moving a hand to look at it as it flexed and tightened. Could she jump across closed spaces as she wanted? Could she... give Yoshiki his tongue and eyes back? The cores before had used everything the school gave them to destroy. Could she reverse its power and use it to heal...?

Yoshiki was glad her pain had returned to the level she could tolerate better, but he was no less lost. It seemed Ayumi was in the same boat, though, so he couldn't grasp for anymore information. He got a little frustrated with this uncertainty. Was she the core or not? And how could they even begin to find out? Even better question, if she was the core, how did she plan to be able to get rid of Heavenly Host? They were obviously clueless on anything that was happening, so the actions to do so may not even be found out. Ayumi didn't know what to do from this point either, so... what could be done at this point? His head moved to look down thoughtfully, even though if he did get an idea he couldn't tell her.

Ayumi knew they were both clueless, and even if Yoshiki had an idea, it would take a lot of charades to get it across. She looked at his mauled face with a small frown. She wouldn't tell him she was trying it, since she didn't want his hopes to get up. She figured she may as well just try one of her theories, otherwise the two would just sit and seethe for a while. She moved her hand to cup his face, unsure if the contact would help or not. She doubted how possible this would be, but it would mostly to keep her expectations from rising. She shut her eyes, trying to focus on the idea. She wanted to hear his voice... She wanted him to be able to see again. She wanted to take his pain from him and give him back what was his.

Yoshiki was still trying to come up with something when he felt her hand. His eye widened, and he was confused on what she was planning to do. Did it have to do with testing if she was the core? Or... just something she felt like doing? Though, without warning, there was a strange sensation welling up that made him flinch slightly. The once blackness he saw began turning into a bright light. With a last spike of pain in his mouth and eye, the light faded... and so did the pain in those places. His once missing eye was back, though it was squinted as it got used to actually seeing. He could also tell... that his tongue was back, though he was much too shocked to say anything at first. He had only been given what had been stolen, so his other eye was still slashed and his arm half-torn, but he was still overwhelmed by what he had been given back. Though he tried forcing them back, tears sprung up again, both of joy and sadness. All this time seeing nothing but black... he had admittedly forgotten what Ayumi looked like. So to see her now, after all this time... Remembering every detail he had cherished in the past... It hit him with such a rush of emotions that he couldn't do anything but stare.

Ayumi slowly opened her eyes to see if her desires would accomplish anything, or if it had just been thoughts lost. But... her eyes widened at the sight of his eye back where the hollow hole had been. Sharp gray with the light in it that told her he could see her. Tears welled in her eyes, happiness overwhelming her. She actually did it. Although, his other eye was still damaged and sightless, but theoretically she could take care of that too. It would seem her desires did run this place, but the way she phrased the thought had affected only the parts of him that had been ripped out. Still, it was a very, very good development. She threw her arms around his neck, burying back close to him. "It worked!" she gasped in disbelief. It was so hard to wrap her mind around. The two of them had been powerless in all of this, but now she had actual control.

Yoshiki took in the sight thoroughly, also noticing tears were also appearing in her eyes, though they were from pure happiness. As she moved back against him, the tears finally slipped out and his arms found the strength to move around her tightly. His head leaned forward to rest on her shoulder as he tried to fully absorb what they had accomplished. Ayumi... had done it! Now, maybe this whole place could just disappear, and everyone inside could rest peacefully. He finally felt he should attempt to say something, even if his system was still a little shocked. "You did it... I knew you could," he said with confidence, despite how weird talking felt. Now that he could speak, he also wanted to respond to earlier, even if she already knew since he had said it before. With a small pause, he worked up his voice again to repeat his feelings, though this time the circumstances were very different. "I love you."

Ayumi's tears overflowed at his voice. It was completely surreal to hear him speak after all this time. To be able to hear his voice... and that she was the one that had given it back to him. It felt like the first time in for so long when she felt unadulterated happiness. She moved her head back a little, wanting to look at his fixed eye and wanting to heal the damaged one, when she caught his words. Her cheeks felt red, and she couldn't fight back a smile. She had become so used to him being silent company, it was harder to handle hearing him say what she already knew. "I love you too," she said in return, despite the fact she had already said it moments ago. It was nice to be able to exchange those words with each other. Her hand moved back against his cheek, and she thought about wanting to fix his wounds... She wanted to admire the grayness in both his eyes.

Yoshiki felt warmer now that they were able to give an actual exchange of the words. His heart seemed to swell, and when she backed away, his eye was squarely focused on her. How had he forgot all that he admired from her appearance? Of course he had seen a general image of her in his head, but he had lost crucial details that he once took notice of every time he looked at her. This time when she touched his face, he had seen it coming, so he didn't flinch. In a moment, there was the small light in his other eye, then the pain spike in it and his arm. But after all that, the pain he had gotten so used to bearing with was nearly all gone. He still felt weak and a headache pounded in his head, but the rest was gone, and all his sight was returned. He smiled at her, brows lightly furrowed. "Thanks...," he said, though he didn't mention the dehydration for a couple of reasons. For starters, he was afraid that if all his pain went away, he'd disappear. After all, a ghost probably couldn't exist without the pain of death. It was redundant. The other reason... "Don't dote on me... Fix yourself too. That... would make me happier than anything else," he admitted with a shy smile.

Ayumi smiled as she admired his eyes, another detail about him she had ignored in life. Honestly, the more she thought about it, the more she realized how completely oblivious she had been towards all of him. What he said next threw her off a bit, but before she could give it much thought, she noted to herself how cute he was... Was she acting love-struck right now? She certainly felt like it, only paying attention to him, pushing off the bigger thoughts of her new powers. She glanced down to look at her wound... The pain was pretty minuscule compared to what she felt when becoming the core. "I'm a little nervous about trying anything on myself. I don't want to accidentally make myself disappear or anything," she noted with a small frown. It was the only wound she had sustained, and if it was gone, would she lose her connection to Heavenly Host? She didn't want to tempt failure when they had gotten this far.

Yoshiki listened, understanding her answer, since he felt the same way. Which brought up the next question... What next? "True... Then... how are we supposed to get rid of Heavenly Host?" he asked, since even though she had fixed him, he was unsure if the whole school would bend to her will to that extent. And if it didn't, what would they do next? It was hard to tell in this place... They knew nothing about the school and the inner workings, so it was hard to take a next step with full coincidence.

Ayumi was slowly coming down from the high of successfully healing Yoshiki to the gravity of the situation at hand. She looked aside, considering their options. "Well, I guess it's worth a shot to just try and wish the school away. And if that doesn't work, since it probably won't... We'll have to slowly dismantle everything," she answered slowly and with uncertainty. Even with this new power, her knowledge was completely reliant on what they already knew. The school existed as it did because of the amount of hatred and sadness in it... If it no longer had souls filled with anguish in it, it should be easy to collapse. Though, going around and healing every spirit may take a very long time...

Yoshiki guessed they could do nothing more than just test their boundaries. Even though dismantling it from the ground up would take a long time, he couldn't be too upset with the option. After all, it meant more time with Ayumi, since the uncertainty of a peaceful rest honestly scared him a little. "Alright," he said to show he understood their situations, and how things may end up. The faster solution would help prevent kids from getting stuck in here, but with this new power it may be possible for Ayumi to simply send them back. He hoped that was the case, so they could clear the place out and prevent anymore deaths.

Ayumi gave a small nod at his small confirmation. She was scared of what would happen if it worked, because the idea of disappearing was scary... but living for an eternity wasn't a desirable existence either. She wasn't ready to lose Yoshiki yet, but the entire situation was much larger than the two of them. She shut her eyes, to block out everything but her thoughts. She wanted the school to disappear, release the souls it had trapped and stop dragging new bodies in like sheep for slaughter. She wanted the hatred and anger to cease, and for this entire institution to crumble to dust. No more lives should be lost to the unquenchable thirst for blood of this place. The thought- the command- made her lungs seize. She began to cough violently, as if some force was squeezing down on her. She cut off the thought, the grip disappearing, but her coughs didn't subside until after a black liquid escaped her lungs. She panted heavily, trembling. The school was too powerful as it stood. Right now, she was just its figurehead with enough power to change smaller things.

Yoshiki waited anxiously, the only noise being the sound of rain pounding the roof above them. He jumped slightly when Ayumi began to cough out of nowhere. As a reflex, he hugged her closer, giving her a worrisome look. Though as she calmed down, he guessed she was overall okay. Just wishing Heavenly Host to be gone hadn't worked. Looks like they were in for the long haul... But it'd be worth it, so they could stop this school from taking more lives and let those that already passed rest. "I guess... we'll be here for a while longer?" he wondered, mostly to himself, but it was for her too. He looked out to the tree line just as a lightning flash spread over the area. They could do it... When together, there was nothing they couldn't accomplish, it seemed. They'd get rid of this place... one person at a time.

Ayumi opened her eyes, staring out into the forest as well. "It looks like it," she replied after taking a moment to find her voice. In some ways, she was selfishly glad she would get to exist with Yoshiki a little longer. But, that meant they'd be going through this school for a long time. She suspected the majority of the souls would have to be healed by her, but luckily it didn't feel like it took any energy from her and it wasn't difficult. Although, some spirits may be easier to get to than others. Either way, they'd figure it out. With how much they achieved already, this was just one last long step to work through.


	7. Chapter 7

I'm so sorry guys! I've been so lazy as of late... Plus, I got a new game, so that's occupied a lot of my time. (No, not X/Y... sadly) I'll do better! Though, I know an apology won't do, so I'll make up for it by putting out the rest of this story, and a few chapters of the next. Hope you guys can forgive me.

* * *

Naomi felt uneasy as they kept running, splitting away from their other friends, but what else could they do? She definitely didn't want to split up even more, and she wasn't so sure they could just wait on them. They'd just have to trust Yoshiki's words that they would meet them out. She pushed open the door that led to the outside, then helped Yuka quickly get over the siding. The others weren't around yet... but that was to be expected. They were a little behind, after all. She wouldn't let her hopes drop. She had to believe they'd get out before the bell stopped. They made it the rest of the way to the forest, and after they were past a few trees, she was engulfed by a bright light. When her eyes fluttered open again, she noticed they were in their 2-9 class room. It looked all in order, like nothing had even happened... It was surreal, that all of them had been standing at the front being so light hearted not too long ago... When in reality, they had lost about half of their friends. She pushed herself up to sit, seeing Satoshi and Yuka in the room too. Good, they both made it out... Though, now...

Satoshi had kept glancing behind, guilt already clawing at his stomach. Even now, back in the classroom, he could hardly enjoy the victory of getting out of there. He sat up, chest heaving in an attempt to catch his breath after the sprint. Yoshiki and Ayumi would appear in a moment. They had been set behind by a floor, but the two had enough time to catch up. But, moments slipped by and the clock in the classroom ticked as every second moved forward. He didn't say a word, just watching with a solemn expression. Yoshiki and Ayumi would come through... After everything that happened, they wouldn't be stopped. It became harder to tell himself that when the clock kept on and there were no signs of their friends. Satoshi pushed himself to his feet, eyes glancing out the window with a darkening expression. There had been a time limit in Heavenly Host. Yuki had warned them about the fact the bell would only toll so many times. He couldn't lie to himself that time worked differently in the dimensions, though. The bell couldn't still be ringing, given how Yuki urgently told them to get out. Which meant... that fall... He never did hear Ayumi reply. His teeth clenched together, the realization coming with vivid horror. "YOU LYING BASTARD!" Satoshi suddenly yelled, an anger hitting him like he had never felt before. To the point his hands clenched in tight fist, and he needed to hit something. He settled on kicking the cluttered, unorganized desks into each other with loud metallic yells. Yoshiki had let him abandon him and Ayumi! He didn't even give him a choice to help them... He lied... and now he wasn't coming back.

Naomi felt the anxiety rise with each ticking second as she stood by Yuka. She was nervous, but she could tell Satoshi was more so. She jumped at the yell, and clung onto Yuka's hand lightly as he began taking out his frustration on the desks. She had never seen Satoshi so upset... but she could easily understand. At first she had only thought they weren't quick enough. That the floor set back had been too much. But, they hadn't heard Ayumi... She didn't want to think of it that way, even if Satoshi was coming to the obvious conclusion that Yoshiki had been dishonest. She didn't know what to say, since her own grief over Seiko was still strong. Now they had lost Ayumi and Yoshiki too... They went in with nine, and left with three. It was devastating that so much had been stolen, especially since those two had been so close to getting out. She looked down, completely at a loss for words to say to Satoshi as he raved.

Satoshi should have known something was wrong... He shouldn't have been so willing to leave, but he didn't want to risk Yuka and Naomi's lives. But what if they had just gone down there? Maybe all of them could have gotten out... Or, if Ayumi had died during that fall, he could have dragged Yoshiki out. Without knowing the details, it was hard to figure out what could have changed, but he was sure he could have had some hand in making it so more of them got out. How did this night turn so wicked? His anger was palpable, but he had no clue how to extinguish the flames. He grabbed at his scalp, nails digging in an attempt to alleviate the pressure. "Goddammit Yoshiki," he hissed, collapsing to his knees as his body trembled. He was thankful the three of them got out, he really was, but all he could think about was the loss. How their numbers dwindled to the lone three of them. Now... he had left his best friend to rot in that place. "We -we have to go back," he suddenly said, looking at Naomi in panic.

Naomi watched Satoshi with a deep frown, his own sadness magnifying her's. Tears began to well up in her eyes over all the dead, but she tried to reign them in. She didn't want to break down in front of them, especially Yuka. Her eyes widened when Satoshi made a shocking determination. She quickly shook her head, trying to wipe away her tears so she could give him a serious look. "S... Satoshi, we can't! We wouldn't be able to get back... and they wouldn't want you to endanger yourself after all this. They wanted you to get out!... Maybe... that's why...," she muttered, her voice giving out as her eyes glanced to the side.

Though Yuka was younger, she could easily tell what was going on. Those other two... Yoshiki and her brother's other classmate, Shinozaki... They weren't ever going to show up. With her brother throwing a fit and Naomi showing her own tears, the younger girl couldn't hold back light sobs. "Yoshiki-san...," she whined, using her free hand to rub at her eye. Though she was sad for the other students, she didn't really know any of them. She had just met them that night. But Yoshiki was over often since him and her brother were best friends. He was close to a big brother, since he was often nice to her and such.

Satoshi's eyes became cast over by his bangs when Naomi rejected the idea. He couldn't put either of them in more danger, and the charm needed two people. To just leave Yoshiki and Ayumi there when they could be alive was too cruel... too unfair. It was one thing to leave when they had confirmed all their other companions were dead. He couldn't keep his conscience clear knowing they were abandoning him, but now it was too late. It may have been Yoshiki's decision, but it was unfair... He might have been able to help him. Or at least have an exchange that created some closure. Ugh, he wasn't sure what he wanted in a realistic sense. All he wanted was to go back in time, before that damned charm, to where Ayumi was telling that story. When the scariest thing was Ms. Yui playing a prank on them. His eyes moved to Yuka, noticing the tears beginning to spill. He swallowed thickly, fighting the burning in his own eyes. He couldn't give up, since the three of them had to rely on each other. He couldn't just toss away the anger and grief, but he couldn't forget about the two that had gotten out with him. "Sorry..." he mumbled as he rose back to his feet on unstable legs. He wished he could do so much more, but there was such a small amount of power in his hands. He knew going back was a crazy idea that would never work... He just wish it could. He walked over to Yuka, patting her on the head.

Naomi's expression softened, though she still had a frown since the aching in her chest forbade even a fake smile. At least she could trust that Satoshi wouldn't do anything stupid. He couldn't go back by himself, and he wouldn't drag anyone down with him. She knew that rationality didn't push away his grief, though. She knew that too, since she was feeling a very heavy guilt herself. Seiko had been bad enough... but now they had to abandon two friends. She trusted that Yoshiki's lie had been for good reason, but it didn't make any of this easier to swallow. When Satoshi came over and placed his hand on Yuka's head, she felt the younger girl's hand release her's so she could tackle into Satoshi and sob into his shirt. She looked down quietly before deciding to approach the two, one hand going to the back of Satoshi's head and the other winding around Yuka. She rested her chin on Satoshi's shoulder without saying a word, closing her eyes and letting the tears finally slip out. She wasn't doing this for romantic purposes. Who knew when that would ever be appropriate, if it ever would. She was only doing this for comfort reasons, for all of them. To make it out of this and live a semi-normal life, they needed to lean on each other, since they were the only ones that would ever understand.

* * *

Satoshi could hardly believe he had been able to get himself out of bed that morning. Both Naomi and him had agreed on biting the bullet right away and go to school, even if neither were eager to. The moment he had fallen onto his bed, he fell into a dark sleep which had only been interrupted by his blaring alarm clock. He forced himself into the shower, telling himself he had to keep moving. He couldn't give into the depression in his chest and lie in bed all day. He had to continue on, because that's why Yoshiki lied to him. He had wanted him to go on... When he got to school, everything was normal except the people missing. But that was the weird thing... No one acted like their friends were missing. He walked over to a classmate, figuring he'd jump start the conversation he dreaded happening. "Have you seen Ms. Shishido?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

"Eh? Whose that?"

The clueless face told Satoshi it was no lie. Maybe it was just a slip-up. He'd try again. "W-what about Yoshiki? You know, Kishinuma Yoshiki?" he asked, watching the clueless expression only sink further into confusion.

"What the hell do you mean? There's no guy with that name in this class."

"What about Shinozaki!? You know, our Class Rep!?" he asked, voice raising in panic. No, no, no! As terrified as he was of what would happen when the missing persons cases arose, this was much worse.

"Mochida, calm down! I have no idea what you're talking about. Ito is our Class Rep!"

Naomi sat quietly in class, her ears catching the conversation between Satoshi and the other classmate. Her eyes were wide and somewhat hollow, though she tried not to show that anything else was wrong with her. No one else noticed... The world had literally... left all their friends behind, even Ms. Shishido. No one... remembered... It magnified the empty feeling in her chest, but she bit back the tears and just stared forward, her fists clenched.

After classes, Naomi sought comfort from her phone, to maybe relive some happy memories. She had avoided anything like that yesterday, since she was much too damaged, but she needed to be reminded that they had existed. However, to her horror... every picture had the faces blotted out, other than her and Satoshi. While she stood in the hall, she couldn't keep her grip on her phone and let it fall onto the floor with a small tapping noise. Her legs gave out, and she ended up against the wall, holding her head in her hands. No... no no no! They can't have lost everything to do with their friends. It wasn't fair! She sobbed, uncaring of who saw and ignoring those who asked her if something was wrong. They wouldn't get it, because the people dear to her were gone from their minds.

Satoshi's thoughts became a tangled mess from then on. The world had just cast them aside so easily? It wasn't right. All their time together ultimately meant nothing to this world? When he settled down at his desk for the lecture, he ended up not catching a single word for their teacher. At least this awful day was wrapping up... ugh, school was going to hell. To pretend all there close friends and teacher had never existed... it felt wrong and dishonored their memories. His thoughts were only penetrated when he heard Naomi sobbing. He guessed she couldn't suppress the heartache this entire day was causing, but he quickly leaped into a more protective mode by the sight of her on the ground. His eyes caught onto her cellphone, and he reached over to grab it. The image on the screen clearly explained what had broken Naomi's composure. Those who died... their faces were blacked out. Was it like that... with all the pictures? His breathing became ragged, the world's insistence on ignoring them was even worse. He put a hand on Naomi's shoulder. People were staring and trying to question what was going on, but none of them could possibly grasp what they've been through. "Hey, let's go somewhere private, okay?" he mumbled to her, since they couldn't talk openly here.

Naomi continued to cry until she noticed Satoshi presence, and his voice. She tried to quiet her voice, giving small hiccups as she slowly rose her face. She must look like a mess... but she didn't care about such a thing at this point. Their friends... it was like they had never existed, like all their hard work and forged friendships were fake. It was hard to pull herself up, but she managed, since a private place would be better, where she wouldn't make a scene or attract unwanted attention. She used the wall to help her stand, while one hand was over her mouth trying to stifle her cries. Once she was stable, she gave a small nod to Satoshi, but had to grab onto his arm since her weak legs wouldn't hold her up on their own.

Satoshi watched her in worry. She seemed unstable enough, but she managed to get up on her legs. He stood up, brow furrowed in concern. He knew the breakdown was probably good, since bottling this stuff would make everything so much worse. When she grabbed his arm, he realized he should lead her. He moved a hand over the one clinging to him as a small form of comfort. He led them into a cleared out classroom and shut the door behind them. He let out a shaky breath, shaking his head slowly. Everyone had been staring at the two, and he knew they seemed off to them. How could they be okay after all of this? "They were forgotten..." he said, even though she had probably gathered that information on her own by now.

Naomi had done her best to keep moving, even if her legs wanted to give out. Plus, her eyes kept burning, but she didn't want anyone else staring at her like she was the weird one. But once Satoshi shut the door behind him, she let the tears flood out again, and her voice was replaced by heavy sobs. She covered her eyes with her free arm as her other hand clung tightly to Satoshi's sleeve. She could only nod in response as her shoulders shook. Losing their friends was one thing, but for this to be added to the heavy weights? It was too hard... It was as if Heavenly Host intended to steal everyone into the woeful darkness, even if they got out. Like getting out was no real victory.

Satoshi felt the burn behind his eyes worsen at her unrelenting sobs. He moved to pull her into a tight hug, burying his head against her shoulder and head. "But we won't, Naomi," he said with a tight voice, clinging to her in the desperate attempt to comfort her and himself. "No matter what... we'll remember them..." he said through gritted teeth. Even if their faces and voices faded from their memory, they could remember all the times they had. The school wasn't going to take them completely away from them. He wouldn't let it.

Naomi thought she was going to be easily dragged into a dark depression. It was hard to imagine anything healing this. But then she felt Satoshi move her into a close hug, and her sobs somewhat quieted. The sobs could still be heard, but they weren't as loud as before. Her hand lifted to desperately cling to the back of his shirt, and her head buried into the fabric. Everyone forgot, and they had no means of remembering their smiling faces. They had been left behind by everyone else... But Satoshi was right. They had risen from the school, and they remembered who their friends were. Suzumoto Mayu: cute, bubbly, and wouldn't let much bring down her mood. She liked to make others happy, loved acting, and hanging around Sakutaro. Morishige Sakutaro: somewhat antisocial, but he was always realistic and held a bright expression whenever Mayu was around. He and Yoshiki hadn't got along so well, but they remained friends, somewhat. Shinohara Seiko: charismatic and a little odd and perverted. She would take the best of situations, and put others' well beings before her own. Her best friend... Shishido Yui: their beloved teacher, who believed no student should be left behind. She cared deeply for all of them, as if they were her own children, and they had all gotten along with her so well. Kishinuma Yoshiki: a person who, at first glance, was a bit intimidating, but he was a lot softer than he'd let on. He was a little on the sarcastic side, but behind his sharp comments he cared about his friends, especially Satoshi and the class rep. Shinozaki Ayumi: a cheerful, smart girl who had stood as their class representative. She liked to tell scary stories and see others' reactions, especially Satoshi's. She cared about everyone's futures, was considerate of others, and had a strong heart. She could remember all of these details, and as long as she did, her friends' memories would never be truly left behind. She'd carry these with her always... The thoughts made her want to write these down on something, so she really never, ever forgot who their friends had been, and always would be to them.

Tears slipped out of Satoshi's eyes, landing against Naomi. The fact her tears had settled down was a relief, a small light that told him that they were still fighting. They wouldn't be drowned by the misfortune done around them. After all, to live the rest of their lives in despair would be a dishonor to all their memories. It was the reason Yoshiki had urged him on, probably well aware of his own fate. And, honestly, if the situation was reversed, he would have probably lied to Yoshiki. It was something friends, best friends, would do. Put the life of the other first, despite what may happen to themselves. "We'll live on for them," he said quietly, his voice tight but determined. They would mourn and allow themselves to feel grief, but they wouldn't crumble.

Naomi got her crying and breathing under control after a few more moments. She thought she could feel drops from Satoshi land on her, which only made her eyes sting again. But at his words, she gave a hopeful nod. If they didn't... if they let this cripple them completely, their friends' sacrifices would be pointless, and she'd never want to make their bravery all for nothing. So she would try... With Satoshi's help, they could make it through.


	8. Chapter 8

Mizuki checked her cell phone for the time, cringing lightly when she realized it was one in the morning. Once they had gotten back, she made sure to tag along with Yosuke to the emergency room, since he had to get stitches where the ghost boy had stabbed him. The whole thing felt like a blur, including Heavenly Host before it. What were the chances of finding ghosts that had known her mom and dad? It sounded unbelievable, but with Yoshiki and Ayumi's student IDs in her bag, she had proof. Of course, that would be if they left her alive in time to explain everything. She had never disappeared like this before, and it was a school night... Her cell phone hadn't been able to receive anything considering it wasn't even on this plane for the majority of the night. They were going to be angry... She approached the house, looking around with a weary glance. Maybe she could just slide upstairs without being noticed... But, no. Even if that was possible, she felt like she owed it to the ghosts who helped her and Yosuke to report to her parents about them. After all, to go to that length for her and Yosuke... They had probably been good friends. She pushed open the front door quietly, coming into the house and shut it slowly behind her.

Naomi was exhausted and panicked. She could hardly keep her bearings with Mizuki missing. She ruffled her hair, her heart unable to come down from beating so wildly. This world couldn't take their daughter from them too, right? She let out a distressed whine, her eyes somewhat bloodshot. She was sitting on the living room couch with their four year old son in her arms, asleep. He had insisted he stay up and watch for his sister too, though he obviously didn't possess the willpower to resist the inviting sleep. When she heard the door open, she was quick to spring up while cradling the toddler, moving to the foyer where she could see her daughter, unharmed. At first, only tears of relief surfaced and she was thankful to have her daughter. But, once enough time passed, her expression flickered to worry-fueled anger. "Where have you been?! Do you understand how late it is?!" she asked in frustration, her eyes narrowed with tears still slipping out.

Mizuki jumped at the quick entrance of her mom, followed by her dad. They both wore that incredibly pissed off look on their faces that she so rarely ever incited. Although, the sight of tears coming from her mom was alarming in many respects. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for any of this to happen," she began to explain with a frown. Where did she even begin with the long night she had?

"Mizuki, you should know better! You should have called or texted us. What could have possibly happened that you would act so carelessly?" Satoshi ranted, the words had been boiling in his chest since Mizuki mysteriously didn't come home from school. With everything that had happened, his mind jumped to the worse case scenarios. Of course, he tried to stay composed for Naomi sake, but now he was just frustrated by how helpless he had been by Mizuki's disappearance.

"I was online last night," she began to explain, seeing a very displeased look cross her dad's face, she tried to continue quickly. "It was some charm. It seemed cute and harmless, so I figured I'd just test it out. My girl friends were all uninterested, so I asked Komatsu, because he was willing to humor me. It went wrong, I guess... We ended up in Heavenly Host..." she continued to explain with a grim expression. She wasn't so sure how to explain that place to them... Unless they had been there. Honestly, the entire knowledge her parents may or may not possess was a mystery to her.

Naomi had at first been unsatisfied with Mizuki's answer, but then came the words that blindsided her. Heavenly Host...? No... no no... Their daughter shouldn't know such a place existed. Her mouth was slightly agape and her eyes were wide, but she had lost her voice. Or rather, she had no idea how to respond. She was mostly in denial, thinking she had just heard wrong or Mizuki was mistaking that name for another. It was just... impossible, especially considering she was standing here before them. Yuki had said there was no chance of getting out after she became the core... Not only that, but she also rejected the very idea that Mizuki had been through such a horrible place filled with death. Souji, the four year old boy, was stirring from all the yelling, but was still leaned up on Naomi's shoulder and too groggy to absorb the situation fully yet.

Satoshi's mind went blank for a moment, the image of Heavenly Host flashing in his mind at his daughter's words. Mizuki... had seen that awful place? B-but how did she get out?! "Heavenly Host? The haunted elementary school? You did the Sachiko Ever After charm?" he asked with as level a voice as he could force.

Mizuki had to guess that her parents had indeed gone into that place as well. Huh, who would have thought some charm like that would stick around for generations. She swallowed thickly, nodding at her dad's questions. "Y... yeah. I thought it was harmless..." she admitted, suddenly feeling the weight in her chest that she had been suppressing. It had been easy to ignore once she had met up with Yosuke, Ayumi, and Yoshiki, but that place had been awful. All the mutilated corpses... It wasn't something she could shake from her mind. "Two ghosts named Yoshiki and Ayumi helped me and Komatsu out. They said they knew you guys," she recalled, choosing to try and breeze by the horrors of the haunted place. Things had been pretty smooth sailing thanks to the two of them, so she would rather talk about the ghosts.

Naomi was still working through the shock of her daughter being at Heavenly Host when another earth-shattering detail caught her ears. More tears welled up, but her face was still firmly in shock. "K-Kishinuma... and Shinozaki?" she stuttered out quietly, her brows furrowing and her free hand raising to her mouth. That couldn't be right... They had died in the school, and all ghosts there had either been crazy or lethargic. Plus, not seeing or talking to them in so long increased how stunned she was to hear their names brought up again, especially by Mizuki.

Satoshi felt like his heart couldn't take make more, then he heard Yoshiki and Ayumi's name, and his heart lurched. They... had been able to help his daughter out? They had been able to keep their mind about them for all this time. He could hardly breath or speak, just stare at Mizuki with wide eyes.

Mizuki nodded slightly at Naomi's question. This was the reason she grabbed the IDs, so she could have proof. Plus, maybe it would be some sort of comfort to them. She pulled them out of her skirt pocket and held them out. "Ayumi said it was okay for me to take these..." she explained, unsure how to handle how emotional her parents were being. Of course she could understand, but she wasn't used to seeing tears in her mom's eyes or that broken expression on her dad's face.

Satoshi slowly reached his hand out to take the IDs, ignoring the dried blood on them in favor of just staring at the pictures. Ayumi and Yoshiki... His chest was tight, a burning behind his eyes. He had actually forgotten what the two had looked like. Of course, the details such as her twin tails or his bleached hair never escaped him, but the specific features had faded with all the blacked out faces of their youth. So... they were together? And mentally sound? He didn't know if that was a blessing in a place like Heavenly Host, but the two had made sure to bring their daughter back to them. He was just... stunned.

Naomi only moved her eyes when Mizuki brought out the IDs. Ayumi... and Yoshiki's IDs. It was too surreal. She felt Souji tugging on her shirt, a signal he wanted down, and she quickly obliged. She had... to see these for herself. She came closer to Satoshi, peering at the forgotten faces of her two friends. A sob escaped her, but she was mostly trying to keep her emotions in check. The hand that wasn't to her mouth as wound tightly around herself in a hug, just staring at the photos. Though it was good Mizuki had been helped out by them, she could only think of sorrowful things. Like, what they would look like if they had aged with them? What would they be doing in their lives? Would they have families too? It only made her tears feel heavier.

Souji, who was just glad to see his big sister again and still somewhat half-asleep, was oblivious to his parents emotional distress and ran to jump up and grab Mizuki's arms. "Nee-tan, nee-tan~!" he joyfully squeaked as he clung to her.

Mizuki's attention was pulled away from her parents by her little brother jumping at her. She felt a little too tired to keep up with his energy, but she was honestly just glad to see him. For some time there, she had wondered if she was going to die in those hallways. She forced a bright smile on her face, pushing all her energy forward to pick him up and look cheerful. "Hey, Souji, shouldn't you be in bed right now?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. She was surprised her parents actually let him hang around, then again, he must have noticed her absence as well. She glanced over to her parents, realizing they were grappling with heavy emotions. She didn't want Souji to take notice of the turmoil. "We're going to head to bed, okay?" she asked either of the parents, whichever could respond first.

Satoshi tore his eyes off his dead friends to look at Mizuki and Souji. Right... well, punishment was obviously not going to happen. Although he wanted to try and talk to Mizuki about the extent of what she went through, he was fighting with old feelings uprooting themselves. He'd talk to her with a clearer head tomorrow. "Yeah. Goodnight you two... Love you guys," he said, allowing the dismissal.

Souji gave some gleeful giggles as he was picked up, then wore a defiant smile at her question. "Nee-tan has to be home before bed time!" he responded with a small pout. His was around eight, and if Mizuki wasn't home before then, he had decided he wouldn't sleep. Well, he decided that just today, since this was the first time his big sister hadn't come home before then. He leaned against her, his head on her shoulder and arms around her neck as his sleepiness returned quickly once he was comfortable and Mizuki was home.

Naomi couldn't take her eyes off the photos, so she had been slow to respond to Mizuki. She gave the two a quick glance and nod, before her eyes focused again on the cards. So many memories were being dug up, both good and bad. The fun times they had in the stated class of 2-9, but also the times in Heavenly Host where they had all been worn down by death. Well... Mizuki hadn't brought up Komatsu dying, so he must be okay. Which meant Mizuki was probably spared at least the pain of someone close to her dying. She hoped she would never experience that like they did at her young age, or at all, really.

Mizuki smiled softly at Souji's answer, followed by him slumping up against her shoulder. "Alright, I'll make sure to be better about it," she assured him lightly. She glanced over to her parents once more before taking Souji to go upstairs. She guessed they needed some time to absorb all the information.

Satoshi watched the two disappear up the steps. Mizuki seemed pretty worn down, but she seemed to have gotten out as unscathed as a person could from a place like Heavenly Host. He looked back at the ID, reacquainting himself with their faces. He wished so badly he could talk to the two of them again, especially Yoshiki. To reach some closure about how everything happened. His free arm wrapped around Naomi's waist, holding her close against him. "Can you believe this...? I never thought we'd have to worry about Mizuki trying that charm... But for those two to get her out of there. It doesn't sound real," he ranted slightly, unable to straighten his thoughts out. He wondered... how they died. How much pain were they in? Did they at least find comfort in each other? Did they stay around the other 2-9ers? It frustrated him to think that every second they moved on with their own lives, finding a happiness in their existence, that they were all being choked by that school.

Naomi was only snapped out of her thoughts by Satoshi's voice and arm around her. She stayed quiet for another moment to regain her voice, eyes narrowed slightly at the blood-stained IDs. So... their deaths had been bloody? Or was it just one of them? It was hard to tell, and they'd probably never know their friends' conditions, since she wasn't planning on prodding Mizuki about their appearance. She didn't even think she wanted to know... the blood itself was enough to flip her stomach. She gave a simple shake of her head, her hand leaving her mouth to grasp the back of Satoshi's shirt. "It's really hard to imagine...," she mentioned in a slightly strained voice, though she was trying to restrain her tears to the brims of her eyes.

Satoshi hummed lightly in agreement, grip tightening on the IDs. It was nice to see their faces after all this time, but it just made him well aware of what they were going through now. That uselessness that drudged up whenever he thought of that night could be crippling. And students were still being thrown into that place... His daughter could have died tonight. Would he have ever known, or would she have wiped from his and Naomi's memories? Would Souji be their only child then? "Do you... want to put these in that scrapbook?" he asked after a moment of silence. The images weren't something either of them could stand to have out all that time, but in those solemn nights of rain and thunder, they'd honor their friends memories by going back to that book Naomi made. Tell stories and try to keep the bright spots of their friends lives well known between the two, occasionally three if Yuka was in town.

Naomi was still in thoughtful consideration of what had been their ultimate end. She wouldn't let herself think of it too much... It was already despairing enough, but at the same time these IDs gave them a picture of the two that wasn't blotted out. She glanced up at Satoshi, then back at the cards with a small nod. "Yeah... they're the only pictures we have," she noted with a solemn tone, taking the cards quietly. She wondered if the blood could be washed off... The plastic that covered them probably wasn't something blood could stick to thankfully, so they could just remember their school days instead of wondering what caused all the stains.

* * *

It had been a lot of years since that night... but the events played back so vividly. But also, so did the happy times before that. Naomi sometimes felt she was too engrossed in the past, but it couldn't be helped. As she got older and eventually retired, she spent more time on her scrapbook, adding in details of events she remembered of the fun times or just simply reading page after page. Though one day, she came to the realization that she and Satoshi may die soon. Then... all of them would really be forgotten by the entire world. That's why she decided... to share this finally with Mizuki. She called her over on the phone and was sitting quietly on a love seat with the scrapbook on her lap, waiting for Mizuki to arrive. She understood her daughter was busy nowadays, but she was thankful she was taking the time to come see her. After all, this was important... well, to their family, she considered it.

Mizuki had been a little surprised Naomi called her up out of the blue to ask her to come over. It wasn't unusual, though. She had been wrapped up in the hectic nature life wrought, but she was glad to have an excuse to break out of her routine to visit her mom. Over the years after Heavenly Host, she had never found it plaguing her mind. She would have to thank Ayumi and Yoshiki for that, since the two were the reasons Heavenly Host hadn't been an awful nightmare. While the images still came into her head, it wasn't something that ever crippled her. For her parents, though, she came to realize that it must have had more of an impact. Besides their faces when she had handed over the ID, whenever she tried to talk to them about it, it was a difficult conversation. She eventually stopped trying to pry, since it only drudged up heartache, and it seemed best to not force such matters. She came into the house, coming into the living room where she assumed her mom would have settled down. "Hey, Mom," she greeted, moving to kiss her mom on the cheek before settling besides her. "What's going on?" she asked, curiously glancing down to the album in her hands. Was this going to be a family lineage lesson or something?

Naomi looked up when she heard Mizuki enter, smiling lightly at her. She watched as she came over, happily accepting the family kiss. At her question, her eyes glanced down and she was quiet for a moment before her hands grasped the edges of the scrapbook. "I'm... getting old," she said with a small, tired sigh. It was somewhat nice to be finally almost done. She had lived a good life, despite the turmoil she faced at a young age. "So... I wanted to pass this down to you... Do you still remember... Ayumi and Yoshiki?" she asked, figuring that place was the best to start this conversation off. She had never told Mizuki their connection to the two, or anything at all about their other friends. It had hurt too much... but now she just wanted Mizuki to know and keep them in mind in her place.

Mizuki's raised an eyebrow at her mom, the 'getting old' comment making her a little nervous. It wasn't like Naomi's health was completely awful, but she had to admit that her age was definitely showing itself more lately. She looked at the scrapbook in confusion, though at the question, she began to have an inkling of its contents. "Of course... I could never forget them after what they did for me," Mizuki remembered with a thoughtful frown. They had risked themselves when they had helped her and Yosuke. She could still remember the scare in which it seemed Yoshiki had, even if he was dead already, died. Or rather, disappeared. She owed her life to those two...

Naomi smiled fondly when Mizuki confirmed still vividly remembering them, and their contribution to her escape. She liked to give that as a reason they had been left behind. So it wasn't so awful and unfair. She was grateful to them too, of course, she was just sad she couldn't thank them herself. Her hand slid across the front to flip it open. The pages turned until she landed upon Ayumi's page. It had her name, age, birthday, and zodiac sign at the very top. Placed in a spot for a picture was the ID that Mizuki had retrieved, and had been almost entirely cleaned off. "Shinozaki Ayumi was our class representative. She was bright and loved telling scary stories. The Sachiko Ever After charm... She had brought it out because another one of our close friends was moving after that day, so she had wanted to make her happy. I hope she doesn't blame herself...," she explained, eyes glazing over the page's contents. Over the years, each person had more than one page, but she wouldn't say everything that was included. She wouldn't even request that she read it all either. She just wanted Mizuki to know they existed, past the ghost forms that she had been acquainted with.

Mizuki looked at the ID, taking in the living appearance of Ayumi. Although, death hadn't ravaged her as much as it had Yoshiki, her appearance while alive made her feel a pang of grief for the young girl. She looked at Naomi, slowly coming to realize what this book was. A memorial for those they had lost in Heavenly Host, it seemed. She wondered why her mom would share these painful memories, but she wouldn't question her. She'd accept the knowledge. It was actually a little nice to know about her and Yoshiki, since they hadn't any time to really talk when trying to figure out how to appease Yuki. "I've always wondered... Were her and Yoshiki a couple?" she asked after a moment's pause. The two had been so affectionate with each other, it had always been something she'd wonder about when recounting Heavenly Host. Even Yosuke had agreed they seemed like that nature when she asked him his opinion.

Naomi glanced to Mizuki, her brows furrowing and a light chuckle surfacing from her lungs. "Oh, no, not at all. They were only friends. Though, Ayumi and your dad were the ones Yoshiki hung around the most," she informed, seemingly brighter when not talking about the things revolving around Heavenly Host. After all, they were nothing to be sad over... Those times had been great, and that's what she strove to remember and share. Feeling the topic had switched, she flipped past the next few pages that were about Ayumi to land on Yoshiki. His ID had been cleaned as well, and honestly, the bored expression he wore was a pretty good representation of him. Though he really had gotten better at doing his work, he still held that overall bored and uncaring air. But as she stared, a question sprung in her own thoughts. For Mizuki to be asking such a thing... it had to have looked like that was the case, right? Well, she couldn't really judge anything about it, so she just chose to go on. "Yoshiki was somewhat sarcastic and cynical, but he's a lot more caring and soft-hearted than he looks. He was about to drop out of school a year before, but Ayumi had encouraged him not to," she said in short summary of what she knew about Yoshiki. Most of the information on these pages was stuff Satoshi had mentioned, since he had been his best friend. While he had been friends with all of them, he just mostly stuck to his two closest, even if Ayumi didn't always share the best friend sentiment.

Mizuki was admittedly surprised when it turned out that the two weren't a couple. Although, maybe something had shifted after they died, given they were the only ones in each others life... Plus, they had died together, although Yoshiki had suffered a longer drawn out death. So, there was a chance they fell for each other after dying, which was sweet but very tragic as well. She observed Yoshiki's pictures, noting he was a pretty decent looking kid when his eyes were in place... By appearance only, it would be easy to mark him off as a delinquent, but that obviously hadn't been the case, even if he couldn't speak. Her dad and Yoshiki were close friends... No wonder he seemed so torn up when she brought out the IDs. "The two of them were really good people... are, still," she noted, eyes staying to the page, reading some of the notes. She wondered if they were still helping people out of that wretched place.

Naomi nodded, agreeing to the statement. They had been... Not to the extent of now obviously, but they had been nice people while living. Ayumi was very helpful, and while Yoshiki was blunt or vague about it, he'd give anyone support who needed it, especially to his friends. She looked back at the book, now flipping over to the beginning, to people Mizuki wasn't so familiar with. "These are friends you didn't know... Mayu, who was the girl that was leaving for another school. She was very bubbly, popular, and got along very well with everyone."

At the page turn, Mizuki noted that the book didn't have pictures of the friends... Actually, on Ayumi and Yoshiki's pages, all they had was their IDs as pictures. Though, that curious detail escaped her when she realized that there were _more_. "There were others...?" she asked, eyes wide. For some reason, it never entered her mind that there would have been more in the group than her parents, Yoshiki, and Ayumi.

Naomi gave a solemn nod, her smile slowly fading. For them to be truly remembered, some details could probably be said that weren't included in the scrapbook... Well, that is, if Mizuki specifically asked for certain things. She opened her mouth to answer clearly, and though she was hesitant at first, it eventually began, "... Yes. Nine of us participated in the charm, including your aunt and our home room teacher. Only us three made it... There would've been five of us, had the floor not given out in our last seconds of escaping."

Mizuki looked at her mom with wide eyes, shocked to hear Yuka had been to Heavenly Host as well... She hadn't ever discussed her parent's experience in that hellhole with them, though she had spelled out most of her time in Heavenly Host for them. She could quickly understand why, though. To go in with nine and be one of the only three that made it out must have been impossible to deal with. Between PTSD and survivor's guilt, she was glad her parents managed to find a way to be happy. At the last bit of information, her mind flashed to Ayumi's wound, where she had been impaled. She guessed that sealed her fate... Although, she had no clue why Yoshiki would have stayed, but considering he had been dehydrated, he must have chosen that. "This is..." she said, feeling no words would sufficiently cover what she was being told. "I mean... how did you ever move on from all this?" she asked, shocked that her parents had seemed basically normal up to this point, not giving away their traumatic pasts.

Naomi went silent for a moment, unsure how to phrase her answer. She didn't feel like she completely moved on, but she could think of the things that had definitely moved her along. "Well, for me, it was a combination of things. The most important... would have to be the support I got from your father, since he was the only one who would ever completely understand. We sort of just leaned on each other, so we made it through. Also, rather than thinking of their deaths and the things they wouldn't get to do, I kept my mind on the good times we had and how they would want me to live a full life. Especially my best friend," she said as a solemn smile appeared, and she flipped a few pages over, "Seiko."

Mizuki fingers folded into each other, and her eyes were glued on the book. She had never realized how strong her parents really were, even when she had been young and learned that they had been to Heavenly Host. Her dad and mom must've had to fight this every day of their life. She was lucky that Heavenly Host was just an occasional bad thought or dream for her. Her eyes flickered up at the word 'best friend'. How awful... She lost almost everyone. "What was she like?" Mizuki asked in quiet curiosity.

Naomi glanced over at Mizuki, eyes only giving the scrapbook a small flicker. It was easy to rant on and on about Seiko, but she wouldn't lecture Mizuki about her. Her favoritism, or rather, just generally knowing Seiko better was apparent in the fact she had more pages. "She was fun loving and sometimes said weird stuff. She was zany and always tried to cheer people up, and always looked on the bright side," she reflected with a small smile, then gave a small giggle as she remembered some of the times they had shared. Seiko sure was a strange one... but she loved that about her. She was never boring, and always liked stirring things up.

Mizuki could see the fondness in her mother's expression when she talked about Seiko. She wondered, if death didn't interfere, if they would have gone on being best friends. A thoughtful frown crossed her face, and her eyes moved to her mother with furrowed brows. "Are you sure you want to pass this on? Wouldn't you rather keep it close by?" she questioned, feeling uncertain if she should take such a treasure from her mother before she passed on.

Naomi considered the question, knowing why Mizuki was asking it, but she was definitely certain of her decision. She gave a small nod, her hands folding on her lap. "I'm sure... I want to make certain it gets to you, and I'd rather give it in person rather than just state so on a will," she said with conviction, her eyes closing with a soft smile on her face. "This is something that has to be literally handed down, or so I feel it should. That's why I'm giving it to you now, instead of later."

Mizuki couldn't see any doubt of her decision in Naomi's eyes, so she would respect that this is what she wanted. "Alright, Mom," she said with a small nod, returning the smile. "I promise... I'll take good care of it," she assured, becoming determined to learn about all these people who had passed. After all, she could have ended up in the same cruel fate as them, and for what Yoshiki and Ayumi did for her, it was the least she could offer. To keep them remembered in this world... She would surely honor them.


	9. Chapter 9

The process of going through Heavenly Host must have taken years, Ayumi thought. There had been so many closed spaces to go through, so many spirits in pain, and they had been occasionally derailed when they found live people they had to help out. At first, each appeasing of the ghosts didn't help the dark, all-consuming atmosphere of the school. It had taken awhile for the air to thin, but once it did, everything seemed to happen in an avalanche. It was exhilarating in many ways. She had to wonder if this was the reason she died, so she could help erase this school's existence. There was a humility she gained from the thought, but occasionally she would still have that old bitterness rise up. Yoshiki and her would never have a real, normal relationship where they could actually forge a lifetime together. By the end of this journey, she had to assume their paths would split. You leave this world alone, and the thought would paralyze her at times. She wasn't ready to stop existing, but she had to push through the selfish thoughts of wanting more to her life. She had a duty to each and every person in this school. Including her friends and teacher. They had been difficult to do, considering their minds had been completely clouded in pain as most spirits had been. She had been relieved to finally release them from their chains here, even if she never got a real goodbye or last conversation with them.

The air of the school had changed completely. The closed spaces weren't fueled by so much hatred and agony, and began to collapse into each other until only one reality of Heavenly Host existed. Walking through the hallways, there was still a solemn air. The corpses didn't disappear and the school still was rotten. The spiritual anger had passed on, for the most part. "I think... that may be it," she said quietly, looking out the window to the rain-speckled darkness. After all this time, it felt unreal they had managed to get this far.

Yoshiki stopped next to Ayumi, eyes staring out into the dark sky. Though this had been their ultimate goal, he was a little anxious at the statement 'that may be it'. Honestly, he didn't want it to be 'it', because he and Ayumi would most likely be split apart for eternity, or whatever death was actually like. The selfish part of him wanted them to just stay and this be their own little world, but then Ayumi would never get relief from her pain. Not to mention other students would get sent here... and though the risk of death had greatly decreased with each ghost that was appeased, no one should even have to see all the death that still loitered in the halls. His eyes narrowed and his hand that wasn't around her's tightened into a fist, though it was hidden by his jacket pocket. "Feels like it...," he mentioned, though this victory wasn't as rewarding as he'd like it to be. He wanted to feel better about dismantling this place, but he only felt fear and bitterness as to what a peaceful death probably led to.

Ayumi looked at Yoshiki when he spoke and allowed herself a moment to admire him. She had become fascinated with his eyes since she had returned and fixed them for him. She couldn't recall another person she's met with gray eyes, though in certain lights they almost seemed like a grayish-blue tint. They were really pretty. "Should I... just do it?" she asked in uncertainty. Every moment they let this school continue on, they were running the risks of students falling in. She was still grasping to her existence, though. Even if it was drenched in the pain of being impaled, it was existing. It was also something she had control over, in theory. She was a little scared that the school wouldn't go away until she forced Yoshiki to move on before her, and she didn't want it to happen like that. Or, if getting rid of the school entirely was impossible, and she'd be left guarding these hallways and helping others back to the other world for eternity. They still knew very little about what would happen.

Yoshiki was letting his thoughts run away, imagining up all sorts of things they could do instead of disappearing. But, they had to, right? Ugh... but he didn't want to... He tensed at her question, eyes narrowing at the outside. "I... don't know," he said with a small shake of his head. Uncertainty was clawing at his heart, and it caused his grip on her hand to tighten. If peaceful rest was, in a sense, submitting to nonexistence, he really didn't want to go. Not to mention with the added stress of being without Ayumi. At this point, with years, probably decades or more, of depending on each other, he felt they had sort of become two halves of a whole. He didn't want to tear apart. He very desperately wanted to stay by her side.

Ayumi's hand tightened against his when she felt his grip. She could understand the hesitation. It felt like a type of suicide. Although, there was always the chance they would meet even past the afterlife they've been trapped in, but she wasn't naive enough to believe that wholeheartedly. It was more of a nice thought. She hated that she'd have to pull the trigger to bring their life to an end... She certainly wasn't eager to do it. Even if she was in pain, she had Yoshiki. Her partner through all of this... She turned towards him and pressed her lips against his. Her free hand moved to hold the nape of his neck, tugging him closer to her. She had to let herself indulge in him for the last time, at the very least... Maybe ask him a question that has burned at her mind since they moment the reacquainted in death.

Yoshiki didn't feel better, since the contact only reminded him of what he'd be leaving behind. His chest tightened, and his eyes stung a little, but he was unwilling to cry. His eyes widened slightly when she came in front of him, a little uncertain of what she intended to do. Was it... goodbyes? When she neared him and met his lips, the warmth easily soothed him, but the affection could still be translated as a more romantic goodbye. His head was easily led down by her tug, and the kiss was returned very eagerly. He wanted this to last, and since they didn't need air, they could actually take as long as need be.

Ayumi knew what it would take to shut Heavenly Host down. If she just willed it, at this point it was such a weak shell of its former self, it would collapse. She could do it in a moment, and let their existence end like this. She couldn't so easily do it, though. She let the kiss continue, soaking in the feeling of comfort and affection that would soon be torn from underneath them. She had to break it at some point, though. So, after an indeterminate amount of time, she tugged back a little bit but kept close to him. "I still don't feel ready for this..." she admitted with a nervous glance aside.

Yoshiki savored the contact as much as he could before Ayumi pulled away. He didn't open his eyes until a small moment later, and then shortly after leaned his forehead against hers. His eyes were on her's, though they were slightly covered by shadow. "I don't either...," he replied solemnly, shutting his eyes again. He didn't want to disappear. He didn't want to be separated from Ayumi. Everything about this was turning him away from what they had worked for this whole time. His hand tightened over her's, and he began to feel his selfish desires blow up. "Maybe... we could just stay, and send back anyone who comes. Nothing is actively trying to kill anyone anymore... We could stay...," he muttered nervously, his voice a little shaky. He didn't think it could actually be that way, but the desires within were being magnified by fear.

Ayumi watched as his scared thoughts came pouring out. He gave a voice to her thoughts, but she knew that neither of them truly thought of it as an option. Even though it was, given she was the one with her finger on the trigger. There was nothing making them rush, but they couldn't go on like this forever. She wanted more time with him, though. Tears began to well in the corner of her eyes. "We can't, Yoshiki. We're dead... this isn't the right order of things. Plus, people could still end up dead... Fall down a hole and end up impaled. The ghosts weren't the only source of death, after all. Its been our purpose to deconstruct this place. To come this far and not take the final step wouldn't be right..." she said, voice beginning to choke as tears slipped out. "Though... even if I know all of that... I don't want to leave you," she said, a sob slipping out at the end. She knew what was right, but she wanted to just be selfish. Her hand's grip never felt tight enough, and the thought of him being ripped away from her was too much to bear.

Yoshiki knew she was right. He hadn't thought they could in the first place. He had only been desperate when saying all that, even though he knew it wouldn't be the right choice. His eyes opened halfway to look at her, a small frown on his face. "Ayumi... I don't either... I... I'm... scared," he admitted, probably for the first time in his life. His eyes gave another burst of stinging, but he still held back any urge to let loose.

Ayumi looked up, her vision a little cloudy from tears. Hearing him admit his fear made her chest tighten even more. Yoshiki didn't admit things like that and hearing it just solidified in her mind what a terrifying thing this was. "It can't be bad, though... E-even if we don't know what it is, it has to be better than this school..." she said, trying to convince him and herself that they were anxious over nothing. Who the hell knew what was waiting for them. Their souls trapped in this dimension was probably a much different afterlife than those who died in the natural world. She moved the hand that wasn't gripping his to move to his face, cupping the side of it gently. "Even if it is scary, it'll be for the best. I won't be injured, and you won't be dehydrated anymore..."

Yoshiki wasn't fully convinced. Besides, it wasn't the fear of it being worse than this... Of course that wouldn't be the case. His eyes centered on hers a moment after she cupped his face before they glanced down. His hand lifted up, covering hers. "I don't care about that... or even what a 'peaceful rest' actually is, even though it is intimidating... It's... us. There's no doubt in either of us, is there? That... we'll be separated," he mentioned in a lower tone, his eyes squeezing shut again to push back the tears.

Ayumi's eyes widened a little when it came down to the fear of not what was awaiting them, but that they were afraid to cut apart after all this time. She didn't even know if she could consider the rest she'd get after this 'peaceful' if she wasn't with him. "I don't know," she mumbled quietly. "I mean... realistically... I guess the chance of us being able to stay together in any capacity is slim..." she said, talking around the fact of what was most likely going to happen. She wanted to pretend there was that chance that they'd be granted some real sort of life together, though. Somewhere to build their relationship that wasn't a haunted school filled with death and hatred.

Yoshiki went silent at her answer, keeping his head against her and eyes closed. He didn't want to face such a reality... After being together for years, no matter in what circumstance, he wasn't ready to be torn away. Though, it was the right thing to do... He wished Ayumi hadn't asked, and just did it without his knowledge. At least then he wouldn't have so long to dread it. Now, he didn't even want to let her do it. This was all making him incredibly nervous and scared. He didn't want to say goodbye... ever.

Ayumi kept her eyes on him, even if now he closed his eyes. It made her wish they had the ability to sleep. She had always wanted to curl up in a bed with him and just drift off, and then be able to wake up to him in the morning. Although, since romantic feelings have developed, she found herself wishing that they could have had a life together. To go on dates, get married, have a kid, and be able to have everything they couldn't in this school. She guessed she would just have to do it at some point, just accept that all they've had together is as much of a relationship as they could in this situation. It made her mind flicker back to the beginning of the end, though. "Can I ask you something that's... sort of off-topic?" she asked, watching him with a small frown.

Yoshiki was stuck in his own thoughts of festering fears. His eyes opened slowly when he heard her voice rising once more. His hand grabbed hers instead of simply laying on it, bringing it back down to their sides. He was highly curious about what she had to ask that she hadn't spoke up before. "Sure... I'll tell you anything," he said with a small shrug. There wasn't anything he wouldn't disclose, since this was most likely the last time they'd ever get to talk. Best to get everything out she had questions about, even if he wasn't entirely sure on what she wanted. It had to be important for her to wait this long to ask him...

Ayumi nodded lightly when he gave her the okay. She glanced aside for a moment, brow furrowing in thought. She hoped this question didn't lead into any sort of argument, not that she thought it might, but it was a sensitive topic that she normally became easily frustrated with. She released a small sigh before looking at him. "When we first met up, I was almost positive you would hate me and attack me, but... instead you hugged me. I was so relieved to have a companion and friend, I didn't give it much thought. But then Mizuki pointed out you had dehydrated. After I died... you spent days alone, slowly wearing away because of what happened to me. You had days to succumb to the darkness and hatred of this school. To think about the fact that no matter which way you looked at the situation, it's my fault you were put here. I'm the one who introduced the charm to the group, and I berated you to come back and even if you didn't listen initially, you eventually followed, and my injury is what kept you from making it back again. After everything, how do you not hate me?" she asked, eyes slowly moving away from his face to look downwards as her speech went on.

Yoshiki quietly listened to her long explanation. The dehydration thing... It hadn't come up since Mizuki had mentioned it. It may have been days of deteriorating... but in Heavenly Host, time didn't play much of a role. He blinked, eyes adverting to the side as he tried to think of a way to word his answer in a way that she could at least begin to understand. He owed her that much, and he didn't want their maybe last conversation turn into an argument. So, he wanted to avoid making Ayumi upset, even though his feelings were generally just confusing. Probably because he didn't know how to put them into words at all... but he'd try. "First of all... Never blame yourself for bringing out the charm. You can't bear the responsibility with something so unpredictable, especially when it had been out of purely good intentions. And why I don't hate you... is the same reason I came back and stayed with you. They were my choices, because I cared about you. I didn't want you coming back to Heavenly Host alone, and that little fight also gave me a little insight of how much of a bastard I was being... And when you got hurt, I couldn't just turn away. So... I told Satoshi everything was fine and to go on, because I thought that's what you would've wanted. I knew you'd tell me to go too... but I chose not to, because even then, you... you were literally my world, even as just a friend. I know it's hard to understand, because I don't completely get it either, but I know for certain that it's not just an 'in-the-moment' kind of thing. Losing you, especially abandoning you to die alone... was never going to be something I could 'get over'," he answered as clearly as possible, somewhere in the middle returning his gaze to her. It was all true. Despite not understanding his emotions, he could feel it in his gut that doing what she had wanted him to do would've left a hollowness that could never be gained back. Perhaps even... swallow him whole.

Ayumi listened carefully, trying to digest each word and its meaning. She wanted to finally come to some understanding of this, instead of always seeing Yoshiki and his feelings like some enigma. When he came to the end of it, her thoughts were running. He cared about her so much, even back then. For her existence to mean so much to his own that he couldn't imagine continuing his life without her was overwhelming. But... it had to be true. Along with the fact he stayed when anyone else would've left, he never grew to hate her. He made his decision, and he stuck by it... That's why even in this awful, darkening place, he never became angry at her. He loved her that much, even before she had shown any affection in return. "Yoshiki..." she said with a quiver in her voice, her emotions sloshing around in her head like a storm. Her grip on him tightened, the desire to stay with him only increasing. "I don't deserve you... I definitely didn't deserve you then, either..." she said, amazed by his loyalty and dedication to her. It had always been so easy to ignore in the moment, but reexamining it as she was now made it so clear. She couldn't doubt his feelings towards her for a second. He has proved himself time and time again to her, and she was finally able to figure out why, in the midst of dehydration and little ghost hands ripping him apart, he didn't hate her. He had said something before she died... That her encouraging speech to tell him to graduate was what attracted him to her firstly. Most people wouldn't be driven to such a strong attachment from such a small gesture, but Yoshiki wasn't most people.

Yoshiki's look softened when it seemed she at least understood a little bit of his feelings. His hand moved around her waist to bring her closer as his head lifted to lightly kiss her forehead. He held it for a moment, indulging in her before lifting away slightly. He made eye contact again, wanting her to understand this feeling too. "I don't... honestly think I deserved you in the first place," he admitted with a small smile. He had been so lethargic and uncaring about school. With his attitude, he hadn't expected anyone to believe in him or tell him he could do anything. He didn't think he deserved anyone's trust either... He didn't know why she had stepped in, or what she had seen in him that no one else noticed until his Junior year.

Ayumi followed his gesture to bring her closer easily, melting into him. Her eyes shut when she felt his lips against her forehead, her stomach bubbling in warmth. It was a little unbelievable how their relationship had managed to evolve after all of this time. When he moved his head back a bit, her eyes opened and looked up into his. At his admittance, a soft smile made its way onto her lips. She never would have thought that that one interference she made between Yoshiki and Tsubota would impact her life this much. "I wish... we had gotten a real shot at this," she confessed. Even if their deaths ending up serving a great purpose, to get rid of Heavenly Host, she wanted a real life with Yoshiki. Instead... their relationship was confined into this place, that she would soon be destroying with her own hands.

Yoshiki felt another sting in his eyes at her comment. Yeah, to be given a chance to live with Ayumi how he always imagined... It was selfish, since it meant many more would die here, but it was also simply human nature. His hand moved away from hers to intertwine into her hair, to bring her head closer against him. He leaned his head on hers, shutting his eyes. "If only we could," he muttered, his grip on her shirt tightening. This hurt a lot, and he felt that Ayumi had the same turmoil inside her, but they both knew it had to be done. It was best... to get it over with, right? Now that they had a little bit of closure and dreams to imagine that may make it hurt less. Just to focus on the image of a family in his head instead of thinking how it wouldn't be possible. "Ayumi... Get rid of this place once and for all. Our final stand, right?"

Ayumi nestled comfortably against him when he drew her closer. A sad smile crossed her face at his reply, tears slipping out onto his jacket. If only she would have gotten the chance to wear a wedding dress and see Yoshiki in a suit. If only she could have his child, which she hoped would have his pretty, sharp gray eyes. If only so many things could happen, but alas, it wasn't written in the stars. This is as much of a life that they could forge together, but for what it was worth, it was pretty good. Along the way, they had been able to save their friends from unending torture, along with so many others. They made sure Mizuki got home to Satoshi and Naomi. They would stop this place's cycle of evil. She held onto Yoshiki tightly, prepared for the ground to fall from under her. Their final stand... "Right." With that, she willed the school away, and white came crashing down.


End file.
